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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24998866">Thirst for Adventure</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScrambledCereal/pseuds/ScrambledCereal'>ScrambledCereal</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Action/Adventure, F/F, F/M, Future Fic, Hurt/Comfort, Medium Burn-ish, Post-Canon, Teen Angst, fluff?</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 04:08:19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>54,100</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24998866</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScrambledCereal/pseuds/ScrambledCereal</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The defeat of Horde Prime was successful and Etheria is saved. Now, almost twenty years later, a new generation has emerged. Finn, child of Adora and Catra, finds normality a bore and begins to take after their eccentric auncle, Double Trouble. Will their mothers approve or will they have to keep their outings a secret?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Adora/Catra (She-Ra), Bow &amp; Glimmer (She-Ra), Perfuma/Scorpia (She-Ra)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>143</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Crimson Waste</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Patience, kitten. You’ll know when the time comes.”</p><p>Finn’s tail twitched anxiously. After months of begging, Double Trouble had finally agreed to take Finn on one of their jobs. Granted, Finn had been training under their auncle’s wing for quite some time, but that didn’t make them any less nervous. Any wrong move could jeopardize their mission, and Finn was determined to make a good first impression.</p><p>The two partners were perched precariously on a rocky cliff overlooking the heart of the Crimson Waste. According to Double Trouble, it hadn’t changed much since the defeat of Horde Prime nearly two decades ago. The princesses had other more pressing matters to tend to since saving the universe, so for the most part, the barren desert was left alone. Huntara and her gang had established some sense of hierarchy to keep the violence at bay, though the golden rule of ‘everyone for themselves’ still stood true.</p><p>Regardless, Finn found it fascinating.</p><p>Their goal was simple: retrieve a stolen satchel. Seemed easy enough. Double Trouble had already identified the perpetrator a few days prior, making it Finn’s job to find out his whereabouts. Taking their acquired acting skills to heart, Finn had managed to inveigle some leads out of a few passing locals. From there, they had narrowed down their search on a single strip of pop up shops in a narrow alley. Now all they had to do was wait.</p><p>“Who’re we looking for again?” Finn asked, scanning the small crowd weaving through the tents.</p><p>Double Trouble leaned back on the red clay and inspected their claws. “A short blue lizard man with a limp. I’d expect him to be in some type of cover, being that he’s a wanted man.”</p><p>Finn nodded in acknowledgement. Unlike their auncle, Finn sat at the ready on the edge of the small overhang. Their tail swept carefully over the cool rock in anticipation as their arctic eyes danced from person to person below. All of their senses were focused on finding the target. It felt like they were waiting for hours, but they dare not complain. Instead, Finn slowly began leaning forward intently, scouring each detail carefully until-</p><p>“Oh darling, no need to be so serious,” Double Trouble breathed into Finn’s ear. Finn jumped at the sudden intrusion and whipped around to stare at their auncle. Double Trouble was now crouched beside Finn with a devious smile. “Scare you? That’s what happens when we don’t pay attention to our surroundings, love.”</p><p>Finn’s ears flattened against their head as they turned away, muttering a quiet apology. Double Trouble merely chuckled and placed a hand on Finn’s shoulder. “Don’t be, my little kitten. The best of us had to start somewhere. Besides,” they said, standing up and peering over the ledge. “It seems our person of interest has arrived.”</p><p>With wide eyes, Finn scrambled to follow where Double Trouble was looking at. And there it was. In a dark brown shawl, a scaly blue lizard man clutched a large bag to his chest as he hobbled through the stream of people. Finn leaped in jubilation, but not before Double Trouble caught them by the arm and steadied them.</p><p>“Ah ah ah. Before you go, what are my golden rules?” the green person inquired, dropping their laid back tone for a more serious one.</p><p>“Have a plan, think quick, and use what comes natural,” Finn squeaked back. “And most of all, don’t get caught.”</p><p>Double Trouble cracked another devious smile. “Very well. Lead the way, Finn.”</p><p>Finn instantly bounded off the rocky ledge and began their descent to the bazaar. Like their mother, Finn only used very little foot wrapping so as to not hinder their grip and abilities. Besides, it was more satisfying to feel their claws drag over the ground when running, like they were more in tune to themselves and nature. It was liberating.</p><p>Once they hit the bottom, Finn turned around to find their auncle. Double Trouble (who never revealed <em>how</em> they actually got to the bottom) emerged from behind a boulder in the form of an old goat woman with glasses and a plain dress. A short memory sprang into Finn’s mind.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“We must use what natural abilities we have, darling. For me, I may become anyone that I desire- and that is my advantage,” Double Trouble explained, twirling as they shape shifted into Flutterina.</em>
</p><p>
  <em> “But I don’t have powers, auncle!” Finn huffed. The pair were sitting in the Brightmoon garden for another day of “training” as Double Trouble called it. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Oh, love, you don’t need powers to be a great actor! Look at the clones who performed my hit musical, ‘Horde? Who Is She?’. Not an ounce of magic on those valiant thespians.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Finn remained unconvinced. Other than their feline features, they didn’t have much in the way of magic or skill. Angello could float and had begun learning spells from his mom, and Willow inherited both plant magic and scorpion abilities. To make up for such disadvantage, they’d convinced Catra to occasionally spar, but they knew she’d never fully fight them. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Finn, Finn, Finn. We cannot mope about what we don’t have. Then nothing would get done! Let’s start off simple: list off what you can do,” Double Trouble stated, turning back into themself and sitting across from Finn. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Well, I can climb trees really good. And I’m faster than Angello and Willow. I’m small, so I can fit into tight places,” Finn rambled on. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“That’s it!” Double Trouble roared, jumping to their feet.“You’re small. You’re young. You’re adorable.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em> “And? What does that have to do with anything,” Finn said, ears flicking with annoyance.</em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Ooh, some sass. Love it! Any who, you’re still a kid. This means that you can use that to your advantage.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“So I just act like.. A kid? Which I already am?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Exactly, my little protege. An innocent child always melts the hearts of the people. The charm of an adorable little child peering up with a look of hope is one thing no right person can resist. And lucky for you, your set of peepers is perfect for the occasion,” Double trouble explained. “Now, give me your best ‘don’t blame me, I’m just a cute little kid’ face.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em>With a sigh, Finn got up and bunched up their hands under their chin while gazing upward at Double Trouble. A hint of a pout quivered on their lips as they purposefully wrapped their tail around themselves to fieign nervousness. With tears of pride in their eyes, Double Trouble clasped their hands together and sniffed. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“That, Finn, is your superpower.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Finn didn’t need much disguise wise. It would take away from their charm, as their auncle described to them. Other than their usual white sleeveless shirt, brown shorts, and red handkerchief hanging around their neck, they sported a tawny cloak that clipped at the base of their collarbone. After a brief nod from Double Trouble, they lifted the hood over their ears and skipped through the crowd.</p><p><em>“Remember, obvious innocence is pitiful, not suspicious,”</em> echoed in Finn’s mind. With the most high pitched giggle they could muster, Finn laughed openly and hard as they weaved seemingly haphazardly between the thugs. It sparked some irritated glares, but no one stepped forward to stop them. <em>It's working!</em> Once the target was in sight, Finn thought to slow down, but after glancing at one of the vendors, got an idea, and ducked out of sight.</p><p>-</p><p>Double Trouble eyed Finn carefully as they dove head first into the alley. They couldn’t be angry for Finn’s eagerness, but knowing their family history, rash decisions seemingly flowed in their blood. Per usual, Double Trouble took the opposite method of Finn by blending in with the crowd rather than a boisterous disturbance. They stopped at a few shops and glanced over the merchandise while following their partner at a distance. Finn kept a steady route until they darted off in one direction, and Double Trouble lost sight.</p><p>Careful not to arise too much suspicion, Double Trouble picked up their pace and hurried over to where Finn was last. They were nowhere obvious just by briefly scanning the area, but it didn’t worry Double Trouble too much yet. The feline could be stalking their target from the shadows if need be. Still, Double Trouble stayed in the spot until they heard a loud crash nearby.</p><p>Finn was laying on their back across from the lizard man, who was also now prone. The bag he was once holding was now empty with the contents strewn around on the ground. While he still looked dazed, Finn sprang forward and began shuffling the items in a pile.</p><p>“I’m sorry, sir. I didn’t mean to bump into you,” Finn said sheepishly, fumbling with the stuff as they offered it back up to him.</p><p>The lizard man grumbled angrily and swiped the things out of Finn’s hands. “Watch where you’re going, kid! You could’ve broken something. One day you’ll run into the wrong person, and it’ll all be over,” he barked.</p><p>Finn’s ears fell as they scooted back to escape any further fury from the man. They muttered a few other apologies as the man accounted for his things. It seemed as though all was forgiven, until the lizard stopped looking in his bag and glared at Finn. In an instant, the man grabbed Finn by the shirt and pinned them against a wall.</p><p>“Where’s the satchel, you thief?!” He demanded.</p><p>Finn gaped and struggled against his grasp. “I didn’t take it, I swear!” they pleaded.</p><p>Double Trouble didn’t realize just how small Finn was until they were trapped like frightened kitten. After all, Finn had barely seen fourteen summers and hadn’t inherited any of their height from Adora yet. Though nimble and tactile, they were, after all, still just a child.</p><p>“If you don’t hand it over right now, you’ll get to find out what happens to little scamps who don’t stay out of people's way,” the lizard man spat, raising a fist to Finn’s nose. Double Trouble realized that this encounter was going dark faster than it should’ve, and quickly pushed their way over to Finn.</p><p>“Please don’t hurt me,” Finn cried out, shielding their face with their hands. “Here! Take it back. Let me go!” The feline reached inside their cloak and plopped the satchel on the ground next to them. The man’s eyes glared at Finn before he slowly let go of the child and snatched the satchel. Finn crumbled on the ground on their knees and shrunk away from the man.</p><p>“Leon? Leon is that you?” Finn heard a weary woman’s voice called out.</p><p>Double Trouble, still as an old goat woman, shuffled forward. Taking the hint, Finn scrambled to their feet and flung themself at their auncle. Double Trouble patted the child’s head softly as Finn wrapped their arms around Double Trouble’s waste. “Pardon my grandchild, sir. I’m sure they didn’t mean any harm. It’s been a long season for everyone,” Double Trouble said easily. Finn pulled their signature pout with puppy eyes as the man continued to scowl.</p><p>He had an urge to teach a lesson, but with so many eyes falling on the trio, he decided against a public brawl. “Whatever, lady. Keep your brood in check or there won’t be a next time,” at that, the man took his leave, and disappeared in the ocean of gathering people.</p><p>A sigh of relief rippled through Double Trouble. That was close. They grabbed Finn’s hand and led them back through the alley. Once out of earshot and view from any others, Double Trouble morphed back into themself. Finn wasn’t looking at them.</p><p>It occurred to Double Trouble that Finn had technically failed. Double Trouble wouldn’t hold them accountable, but they could sympathize with the child. Their childhood was filled with many failures too, though they’d never admit it. They were sure that Finn would probably take this hard, and if so, might discourage any future outings. However, Double Trouble wasn’t quite good with comforting words.</p><p>“Alright, that didn’t exactly go… to plan, but we can work with this. Finn, he saw your face so you probably can’t confront him again, but there are other ways. Hey, cheer up, we all have a moment of-” Double Trouble stopped talking.</p><p>The look in Finn’s eyes as they dangled the satchel before them was priceless.</p><p>“That wasn’t an accident was it?” Double Trouble said slowly.</p><p>“Nope!” Finn replied proudly, twirling the satchel.</p><p>“Oh my stars, that was all a ploy? You little rascal you, that was perfect! Amazing!” Double Trouble cheered, hoisting Finn up and putting them on their shoulder. “You even fooled me! Your own auncle! That was the performance of a lifetime, kitten.”</p><p>Finn beamed with pride. Double Trouble wasn’t much for compliments, so to be showered in validation made Finn’s heart swell. Catra and Adora had validated Finn’s feelings all their life, and while yes, they appreciated the supportive home, it had become rather dull. With Double Trouble, you had to work for appreciation. Finn loved the challenge, and had been infatuated ever since.</p><p>“Alright, alright,” Double Trouble went on, “Tell me everything. I need to know the heroic tale of Finn the daring rascal.”</p><p>Finn described how they stopped in front of a shop with varying bags, one of which was an eerily similar satchel. Dropping a few coins, they took the satchel and filled it with rocks to give it some weight. Then, they staged an accidental fall into the lizard man, hitting the bag out of his hands. After the satchel had tumbled to the ground, Finn snatched it.</p><p>“I thought he might search the satchel if I just switched them. So I hid it and let him think I was stealing it, so when I gave it back, he would just be happy to have it and not check it.”</p><p>“Impressive. Three steps ahead, I see. Perfect execution,” Double Trouble chirped. “Now all we have to do is return said satchel to its rightful owner, and we’re done!”</p><p>Finn bobbed their head in agreement and followed their auncle to the other side of the hole. To their surprise, the owner was an old goat woman- the same that Double Trouble had transformed into. Finn wasn’t allowed to hear the exchange, but when Double Trouble returned, they dropped a few gold coins into Finn’s hands. “Here we are, payment for your service,”</p><p>It wasn’t much by any standards, but Finn was proud nonetheless. In fact, it was the first time they’d actually earned any money for themself. Being the descendant of She-ra and Catra who were best friends with the queen of Brightmoon, Finn never had to worry about income. Every need was tended to. Every need except their thirst for adventure.</p><p>“I guess that means we have to head home now,” Finn murmured sadly.</p><p>“Well yes, that generally happens after you get paid, darling. Besides, I’m sure your mothers are dying to have you back. Speaking of which, do they know about our little exertion today?” Double Trouble questioned, wiggling their fingers toward the direction of Brightmoon.</p><p>Finn shook their head. “I left a note saying that you were taking me to Dryl to practice with some of the clones,” The look on Double Troubles face concerned them. “You can’t tell my moms!”</p><p>Double trouble smirked. “Oh don’t worry, it’ll be our little secret, kitten. Just don’t dig a hole too deep to crawl out of. Even I can’t escape your mothers.”</p><p>“Deal!” Finn replied.</p><p>With that, the pair began their journey back to Brightmoon. Knowing that a full day of travel was ahead, Finn started thinking.</p><p>
  <em>“Leon? Leon is that you?”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Finn attempted to scramble up the outer walls of Brightmoon to reach the roof. Angello proved on his eighth birthday that he could easily scale the castle in one jump with his newly found floating powers, and Finn wanted in. Their muscles strained with each movement as they sank their claws into the cracks of the bricks. At one point, one claw didn’t catch, which shifted all their weight to one hand. Unable to hold, Finn let go of the wall and plummeted below. They didn’t know how long they were out, just that when they came back to consciousness, a familiar green face mirrored them.</em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Well well well, I seemed to have found a fallen kitten,” Double Trouble purred. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Finn hissed and attempted to jump on their feet, only to shakily come onto their knees and plop back over. “I am not a kitten!” they yelled. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Double Trouble had to repress a chuckle. Finn looked so weak being crumbled on the floor, but their eyes told another story. While yes, they were shooting daggers, there was something else behind the two icy pools of vision. A strong sense of courage and determination that reminded Double Trouble of the Catra and Adora in their younger years. A fire waiting to be unleashed. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“You’re right. You’re no kitten,” Double Trouble said, lowering themself to look Finn in the eye. “You are a lion. And one day, the world will hear you roar.”</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. That's What Friends Are For</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Alright, darling, this is your stop.”</p><p>Double Trouble stopped at the edge of the tree line as the moonstone pillar came into view. Unlike the Crimson Waste, Brightmoon had undergone some major changes. The surrounding village had expanded significantly to compensate for the incoming refugees from the Horde and those who lost their homes. The castle itself remained relatively untouched, but outside the entryway stood a large statue of Angella, the late queen. Double Trouble was sure there were some other monuments or references to the best friend squad somewhere, though they never bothered checking.</p><p>When Horde Prime was defeated, Queen Glimmer had offered Double Trouble a spot within the princess alliance, but they declined. Politics wasn’t a career they were actively pursuing. Besides, there was so much new potential with the rebuilding of Etheria. Of course they never abandoned their former employer, though Double Trouble did admittedly remain out of touch for quite some time. In their defense, Catra and her newly found friends did spend a lot of time in the outer reaches of space for a few years.</p><p>When Double Trouble did finally come around to visit Brightmoon, they were surprised to hear that two new additions had been brought into the close families. It was the first time they met Finn.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Double Trouble? Is that you?” a familiar voice called from behind them. Upon turning around, the lizard person was greeted by a well known blonde. Adora offered a warm smile and approached the shapeshifter. “It’s been awhile.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> And indeed it had. The former Horde soldier had grown quite well into adulthood. Her long golden strands now hung loosely down her back instead of the signature ponytail she was so inclined to before. Instead of a red jacket and pants, she wore a slim fitting white dress bearing golden embroidery that formed a heart over her chest. The only jewelry she sported was a simple gold headband perched on her temple with a plain stone. Double Trouble’s first thought was about how much bling the blonde wore, but then again, it suited her. </em>
</p><p> <em>“Oh you know how it is. Caught up in work and all that,” Double Trouble said vaguely, choosing their words carefully. They hadn’t exactly had a solid relationship with Adora, or anyone other than Catra for that matter since their Horde days. Sure, they’d been forgiven, but that doesn’t mean anyone forgot. </em></p><p>
  <em> “I can imagine,” Adora sided with Double Trouble. “Any particular reason to show up to Brightmoon today? Oh! You must be here for the baby? Word travels fast around here, I guess.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Baby?” Double Trouble questioned. They weren’t aware of any offspring, which was unusual considering their elaborate network of eyes and ears all over Etheria. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Yeah, Catra is in the nursery right now. You can see her if you like. I was just there myself. I’d go with you, but Glimmer needs help wrangling Angello, and apparently she requests that it’s a job for She-ra.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Seems like you all have your hands full,” Double Trouble commented with a smirk. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “You could say that,” Adora responded. “Though Finn is too young to cause any trouble yet, so Catra and I are enjoying what we can."  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Double Trouble was about to poke fun at motherhood, but a loud series of thuds and high pitched squealing beat them to it.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Oh dear, that’s probably them. I’ll have to catch up another time. Catra is down the hall on the right. You can’t miss it!” Adora said quickly before hurrying the opposite direction. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>  That brought a smile upon Double Trouble’s lips. Children never appealed to them, though they couldn’t deny how amusing they could be from time to time. Watching them run around carelessly and get into trouble was their favorite. Double Trouble made a mental note not to mention that they found injured children humorous. Apparently it was considered ‘insensitive’ to parents or something of the like. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Per Adora’s instructions, Double Trouble strolled down the hallway until they reached a smokey blue door with brass edges, along with a crescent moon door handle. It wasn’t until they opened the door did they realize what room it was. Brightmoon didn’t actually have a prison; just a spare room. When Double Trouble was a prisoner long ago, they were held in said spare room, which happened to be the brand new nursery.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> It was cute in a sense, at least that’s what Double Trouble would assume a regular person would say. The purplish walls were painted over with a more neutral beige color, which influenced the rest of the room’s ambience. All the furniture varied in some shade of brown or white with a gold accent (of course). </em>
</p><p><em> Catra was sitting on a small couch on the other side of the room next to the cradle. In her arms, a tiny child lay sleeping against her chest. Seeing that she hadn’t noticed their presence yet, Double Trouble couldn’t help but have some fun. </em> <em> They carefully morphed into Catra’s beloved wife and shut the door quietly. Then, tiptoeing toward the dozing feline, they came behind the couch and reached their arms over Catra’s shoulders. </em></p><p>
  <em> Catra instinctively turned her head to nuzzle ‘Adora’s’ arm and let out a soft purr. “Hey, Adora.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Double Trouble smiled and pawed at Catra’s now long hair as she leaned against them.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Hey, kitten.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Briefly, Double Trouble wondered if she didn’t catch their reference, but Catra’s eyes shot open and she jumped away from Double Trouble’s embrace. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “What the hell?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Good to see you too,” the shapeshifter replied, dropping the Adora disguise. Catra’s first response was to check the little bundle in her arms, which luckily remained undisturbed.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “What are you doing here, DT?” she asked with notable confusion. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “I thought I’d pay a little visit. You can’t get rid of me that easily, darling.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Catra scoffed and rolled her eyes. “Please, if I wanted to get rid of you, I’d send you into space with Entrapta.”  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Oh goodness, a fate worse than death.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Catra felt herself give into laughter. Double Trouble plopped themself on the arm rest and dramatically tossed their hair to one side. It felt good to be appreciated for their performance. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> The small child in Catra’s arms suddenly began to squirm and let out a quiet yawn. With the blanket falling down a bit, Double Trouble got a better look at the infant. It was definitely Catra’s, alright. The fuzzy brown feline had the same freckles as their mother dancing across their cheeks. In fact, the tail, markings, and tufts of hair all mirrored Catra. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Do you want to hold Finn?” Catra said, seeing that the green lizard was staring. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Children aren’t really my thing. Besides, I don’t want to upset it,” Double Trouble remarked defensively.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Don’t tell me you’re scared of a little baby?” Catra poked fun at the shapeshifter.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Fear isn’t a word I would use for this situation,” Double Trouble stiffened up as Catra placed the child in their lap. Thankfully, they didn’t cry upon being removed from their warm mother. Instead, Double Trouble was met with two brilliant blue eyes gazing up inquisitively. The child cooed softly and waved at the passing green tail, which Double Trouble didn’t realize was wavering until the baby attempted to grab it. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Not so bad now, is it?” Catra said with a smug expression. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Okay, so maybe it isn’t the worst thing in the world,” Double Trouble sighed. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Are you not coming with?” Finn asked. Double Trouble smiled apologetically.</p><p>“No, not today I’m afraid. I have other business to attend to.” </p><p>Finn made a face. “Well, when will you come back then? If I have to stay in the castle again for that long I’ll <em> die,” </em>they went on, putting a hand to their forehead and falling backward.</p><p>“Worry not, my little protege. I won’t let you die in vain. If I come across another job for you, I’ll come back,” Double Trouble promised.</p><p>Finn took their auncle’s words to heart, and agreed to the terms. Double Trouble bid their farewell, and ducked back into the cover of the trees. Now all Finn had to do was sneak back into the castle. Fortunately, getting there wasn’t the hard part. The back entrance to the castle was the most unguarded place in the kingdom, which to Finn was very convenient, though pretty impractical in their opinion. </p><p>They slipped their tawny hood over their head and ran along the outskirts of the town toward Angello’s room. Adora told Finn that it was technically Glimmer’s old room when the trio were kids, but after the whole Horde situation, she moved into the queen’s suite with Bow. </p><p><em> “Glimmer’s mom would be so furious when she realized we snuck out the window,” Adora recounted when Finn asked her about their past. </em>How ironic.</p><p>Finn stood below Angello’s window and whisper-yelled his name. No response. Finn muttered a string of curses they learned from their auncle under their breath and began backing up. It would be much easier if Angello floated Finn up, but seeing as he was currently unavailable, Finn had to take the hard way. Once a good distance away, Finn took off in a sprint and leapt across the chasm separating the forest and castle wall. Their claws slammed against the solid brick, puncturing small holes to latch onto. </p><p>Once they got their barings squared away, they carefully scaled the side of the building using any rough edges to shift their weight on. There was a temptation to look down, but Finn knew from experience to refrain from such. Much to their relief, when they reached Angello’s window, it was unlocked. When Finn opened the pane and popped their head into the room, they noticed that Angello <em> was </em>in the room. He was laying comfortably on his hanging bed above, strumming one of his instruments.</p><p>Finn’s fur bristled with annoyance. This whole thing could’ve been avoided if he were paying attention! Repressing a growl, Finn scrambled through the window and landed silently on the marble floor. He still didn’t notice. It was time for payback.</p><p>Finn gingerly ascended the floating steps leading up to Angello’s bed, preparing an attack. Finally, at the last step, they let out their battle cry.</p><p>“For the honor of Numbskull!” they shouted, pouncing on top of their friend. Angello screeched in response and flung the instrument out of his hands as Finn pinned him to the mattress. </p><p>“I win!” Finn gloated. “That's seven to three now. I’m still in the lead.”</p><p>“Ugh, that’s not fair! I wasn’t prepared!” Angello despaired, finally gaining the arm strength to shove his fuzzy friend off. Finn erupted in laughter as Angello dusted himself off and stepped off the bed to retrieve his instrument. </p><p>“What was that? Are you okay, Angello?” Glimmer’s voice from behind the door called out. </p><p>Angello winced. “Yeah, mom. I’m fine,” he answered quickly, cracking the door open to face his mother. “Just dropped my guitar, that’s all.”</p><p>“Alright. Be careful. It was your fathers, you know.” </p><p>“I know, mom.”</p><p>Finn saw a hand pat his dark purple curls and caress his face. Apparently reassurance was all Glimmer wanted, because then she was gone. Angello leaned his back against the door and blew out a breath of frustration.</p><p>“The things I do for you,” he murmured. It was uncanny how much he resembled his parents. Angello was the perfect mixture of both Glimmer and Bow. He was roughly Glimmers height with her eyes and soft features, but his father’s skin complexion and build. While he did mostly lead with emotionally charged decisions, when he put his mind to it, he was extremely versatile and intelligent. </p><p>“Oh, come on, you love me,” Finn teased, watching their friend retrieve the guitar. </p><p>“Whatever helps you sleep at night,” the prince shot back. He easily lifted off the ground as he floated up to Finn. Finn had already made themself comfortable by curling up on one side of the bed. Angello settled across from them and strummed the strings experimentally. </p><p>“I was working on a new song before I was so rudely interrupted,” Angello said, playfully glaring at Finn. They yawned and waved away Angello’s bitterness.</p><p>“It’s just a song. It’s not like you’re performing open heart surgery over here.”</p><p>“Your point is? Still interrupting.” </p><p>Finn rolled their eyes and wrapped their tail around themself. “So you gonna play it or what?”</p><p>Angello flashed a quick smile and strummed a few chords. It wasn’t a complete melody by any means- more of a compilation of musical patterns. They looped fluidly with one another as Angello wove them together into a steady beat. He substituted lyrics for a soft hum as he closed his eyes and let the sound fill the room.</p><p>Finn wasn’t much of a fan for music, but Angello had a way with strings like no other. By fifteen, he’d already mastered four instruments (much to the dismay and amazement to Bow). When they were younger, he liked to play for everyone’s parents, but as of late, he mostly kept his songs to himself. Not that Finn really cared, but it was nice to be treated to one of his melodies. </p><p>Finn was so lost in their thoughts they didn’t even realize the music had stopped. “So now you know what I’ve been up to,” Angello started. “What have you been doing?”</p><p>“I was with Double Trouble, remember?” Finn said, blinking the fatigue away.</p><p>“Oh yeah! How was it?” Angello commented excitedly, putting down the guitar. </p><p>“It was awesome! We had to retrieve this satchel and track down this guy. My auncle let me go <em> by myself </em>into the Crimson Waste. I totally duped the guy and got that satchel no problem! Even got paid for it. No wonder Double Trouble loves it.”</p><p>Angello’s eyes sparkled. “The Crimson Waste! Is it still overrun with thieves and bandits like mom and dad used to tell us?”</p><p>“Totally. It’s a whole different world out there. Everyone for themselves. No law, no repercussions.” </p><p>“Whoa. One day you’ll have to take me out there with you. Maybe Willow, too.”</p><p>“I’ll ask my auncle about it. It’s dangerous stuff out there.”</p><p>“Count me in! You know me, I love peace and harmony as much as the next guy,” he hesitated. “But I’m starting to see why you sneak out on adventures all the time. I’d go with you, but my parents..”</p><p>Parents. Finn almost forgot. “My moms! Angello, do you know where my moms are?”</p><p>Angello pursed his lips. “Er, I'm not entirely sure, but I think this morning they said they were heading over to Dryl. Maybe they’re going to visit Entrapta or something.”</p><p>Finn froze. </p><p>“What did you say?”</p><p>“I said they’re going to Dryl.”</p><p>This time, Finn shot up and grabbed Angello by the shoulders. “Angello! I told my moms I was going to be in Dryl!! Now they’re heading over there and I won’t be there! Didn’t I tell you to keep them occupied?”</p><p>Angello winced. “Hey, it’s not my fault! It’s not like I can tell an adult, an adult who’s <em>She-ra</em> of all people, to stay in Brightmoon for no apparent reason.” </p><p>Finn’s claws began digging into Angello’s skin as they squeezed him tighter. “What am I going to do?” </p><p>Angello winced again, but didn’t mention Finn’s grip. “I don’t know, stay here and just own up to it?”</p><p>“I can’t do that, then I’ll have to tell them everything else I’ve done.” </p><p>“Okay, fair enough. But panicking about it won’t do much so let’s just-” he said calmly, reaching up to Finn’s arms and helping them pry their claws off him. Finn saw the holes in Angello’s shirt and recoiled. </p><p>“Oh shoot, I’m sorry. I did that thing again where I-”</p><p>“I noticed,” the prince stated, running his fingers over the breaks. “But that’s not important right now. Think.”</p><p>Finn nodded and started formulating a plan. In the meantime, Angello slowly descended to the floor and rummaged through his drawers. Fortunately, he still had a lavender tunic with an accompanying violet vest to match. </p><p>“Angello, how far can you jump when you put your power behind it?”</p><p>He looked up at Finn with furred brows. “I dunno, a couple hundred yards?”</p><p>“Can you take me to Dryl?”</p><p>“What??”</p><p>“Can. You. Take. Me. To. Dryl?” Finn repeated.</p><p>“I heard you the first time. What makes you think I can even go that far?”</p><p>“I don’t know, but you’re our best option. Nothing else is as fast, and we can’t bring anyone else into this. Please, Angello. You have to help me,” Finn begged.</p><p>Angello groaned and ran his fingers through his hair. Finn had asked for many things in the past, but none of them were as big of a favor as this. Angello would do almost anything for his feline friend, but there were lines that even he was hesitant to cross. One of the biggest being anything that could compromise his relationship with his parents. Finn took his moms warnings as a suggestion, while Angello preferred to be a model prince. </p><p>Then again, even he was beginning to see why Finn was so antsy to leave. There wasn’t much to do in Brightmoon now that most major conflicts were eradicated. Sure, he could wander to nearby kingdoms like Plumeria to visit his aunts and Willow, but even that became dull. Angello made a choice.</p><p>“Fine. But you owe me!” </p><p>“Yes!” Finn cheered, scrambling on four feet down the floating steps to leap into a hug. “I won’t forget it.”</p><p>“Just give me a minute to explain everything to my mom. I’ll tell her I’m going to see Willow. Stay here,” Angello ordered. </p><p>Finn didn’t protest. They sank right to the floor and watched as Angello stepped out of the room. If Glimmer lets Angello go quickly, they’ll be able to leave immediately. Assuming that Catra and Adora were on foot and didn’t take Swiftwind, they would only be half way there by now. Should Angello’s hypothesis be correct, they would be able to catch up in time.</p><p>
  <em> This might actually work. </em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Ride or Die</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You ready?”</p><p>Finn didn’t respond, knowing damn well that Angello knew the answer. Sure, Finn was fine with heights, but only when they were climbing something still attached to the ground. Soaring through the air at great distances wasn’t exactly ideal. The feline was clinging to the back of their magical friend with legs around his waist and arms crossing over Angello’s chest. It wasn’t the most comfortable position by any means, but they’d rather get caught by their moms than be seen being bridal carried.</p><p>Angello shifted his weight between his feet a few times before stepping onto the windowsill. Moments before, Glimmer accepted Angello’s request to leave under the condition that he be back the same time tomorrow. Seeing that it was almost midday, he was racing against the clock. Finn reassured him that there would be some robot or skif available for him to take back, but Angello had his doubts. Nonetheless, he stuck to his word.</p><p>“Don’t pull any funny business,” Finn murmured into Angello’s shoulder.</p><p>“Lucky for you, it’s in my best interest to be as smooth as possible to get there in a timely manner.” </p><p>Angello felt Finn snort in response. Once the two were balanced, Angello concentrated his magic to the base of his feet and leapt off to the west. Finn tried not to dig their claws into Angello again as he bounded continuously toward Dryl. He kept a good rhythm of ascending quickly until reaching the peak, and descending more gracefully. Angello couldn’t actually fly like his grandmother, but he could gather energy behind his jumps to give it a super boost. </p><p>Angello cracked a smile when Finn sucked in a breath every time he lifted off the ground. He didn’t know if Finn remembered, but Finn was actually the one who helped Angello gain control of his abilities. For a short time, Angello was the fretful one when floating, while Finn held all the courage. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Angello?” Finn said, slipping into Angello’s room. “Are you in here?”  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> They didn’t hear any response, but Finn was smart enough to know that a quiet room didn’t mean an empty one. “You know I can smell you right?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Sure enough, when Finn lifted their nose into the air, they caught the familiar scent of the queen's son. It radiated from the large oak wardrobe. Finn’s tail swayed cautiously as they stalked toward the closet. Much to their dismay, another force from the inside prevented them from opening it. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Come on. You can’t hide in here forever. It’s been like two days!” Finn complained, plopping down on the floor. “Who else am I gonna play with?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Maybe someone who can actually control their powers,” a small voice replied from inside the wardrobe. At least he was alive. Again, another awkward silence hung heavily in the air as Finn contemplated how to coax Angello out. Hesitantly, they put a hand up to the wood as if he could feel their presence. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “We know you didn’t mean to drop her.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “But I did!” Angello cried out, bursting the door open. He was curled up, hugging his knees to his chest with large tears rolling down his cheeks. “And she got hurt and now she’ll never want to play with me again.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Finn got up from the floor and squeezed themself next to Angello. Usually, such a situation would call for physical consolation, but Finn wasn’t big on affection. Instead, they sat in silence along with their friend, letting the stillness act as an unspoken solidarity. Angello attempted to wipe the salty water pouring from his eyes. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “I’m never going to use my magic again!”  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “That’s dumb,” Finn remarked. Apparently that was not the answer Angello was expecting, because he stopped crying and frowned at Finn. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “That’s not very nice."</em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Yeah, well, If I had powers, I wouldn’t be crying about it.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Angello sniffed and dangled his legs out of the wardrobe. “You don’t know what it's like to be scared of yourself. I’m a danger without control.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Okay, then let’s practice!” Finn chirped, scurrying away from Angello. They scampered around the room, collecting all the fuzziest, fluffiest items and piling them below Angello’s hanging bed. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “What are you doing?” Angello questioned. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “I’m making a landing zone. That way if you fall you just-” they explained, diving headfirst in the pillow pile. Angello giggled. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>  With Finn’s encouragement, he spent the afternoon trying to float from the ground to his bed. Like Finn promised, whenever he fell, a nice soft cushion was waiting for him. The pair figured out that he had to focus on putting force on his feet, not his core, which made things a lot easier. Eventually, the sun began to set, but before they wrapped things up,Finn had one last idea. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Okay, here’s your final test,” they started, wandering over to the window and shoving it open. “Take me to the roof.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “No way! I can’t do that!” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Yes,you can. Now stop being a chicken and get over here.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Angello’s chest tightened. “What if I drop you? What if I can’t slow down? What if-”  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> He was stopped by a hand on his arm. Finn lightly squeezed and stared up into his pastel eyes. “I trust you.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> It was a simple three word statement, but the amount of raw power behind them was insurmountable. Finn didn’t have a shred of doubt. They were willing to put everything on the line for Angello. They had complete and utter faith in him, even when he didn’t. The understanding between them was like no other.   </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Okay. Let’s do it.” </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>“You’re heavy, you know that?” Angello grunted after a while. They’d been traveling for a few hours by Finn’s estimate. Angello was beginning to falter. Sweat built up on his brow, and the leaps were slowly getting shorter. They were still making great time, though. Brightmoon was long out of sight, and they could see the outline of the mountain range ahead.</p><p>“Excuse me? Have you looked in the mirror lately?” Finn replied, knocking on Angello’s head. The prince shook Finn’s hand away and landed in a grove of trees. Finn detached from their friend and watched Angello stretch.</p><p>“I need a break. I’m almost out of magic,” Angello said, out of breath. “I’m not used to having a passenger.”</p><p>“Did you bring your recharge?” Finn asked. Angello bobbed his head and rummaged through his vest for the container. A long time ago, Entrapta figured out how to capture and store the magic emitted by runestones. She managed to link First One batteries with each princess's runestone so it could hold a charge. It wasn’t enough to completely restore power, but in a pinch, it’d offer a little boost.</p><p>The moonstone recharger was a metal container the size of Angello’s hand. Twisting the top and bottom, he pulled the two ends apart as it stretched and locked into a larger configuration. The now forearm sized machinery made a series of hums and clicks before opening a center compartment which released pulses of white light. The wisps of energy swirled around Angello’s body and sunk into his dark skin.</p><p>Finn had watched Angello recharge before, both with the actual moonstone and the recharger, and knew the process took some time. Wanting to make themself useful, they took off to find anything edible nearby. Double Trouble was the one who taught Finn the fundamentals of surviving in the wilderness. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Not so fast, kitten,” Double Trouble said, picking up Finn by the scruff. The feline howled in response and dropped the berries they were about to eat. “You don’t know if those are poisonous or not.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “But they look so good and I’m hungry!” Finn protested, wriggling in their auncle’s grasp. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Double Trouble placed the child back on the ground and inspected the brightly colored berries. “They do look endearing,” they confirmed. “However, when it comes to mysterious food, patience is your friend.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “I don’t want to wait,” Finn mumbled, kicking one of the berries by their feet. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Double Trouble chuckled. “I know, love. Waiting can be such a bore. But better to be bored and alive than dead.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Finn gulped and inched away from the fruit. “Is this one bad?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “I don’t know, so let’s find out. Now, here’s what we do.” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Finn weaved through the trees waiting for anything to catch their eyes. Hanging fruit, seeds, and nests were the easiest food sources to find. If they were lucky, they’d find a small stream with fish, but from the composition of the dirt, it didn’t look like there were any nearby water sources. Finn eyed a sturdy tree and grabbed one of the low hanging branches to swing themself upward. They gained altitude by hopping from branch to branch in hopes to spot something from above. Once they reached the top of the tree, they scanned the terrain.</p><p>A few paces over, a lightly colored tree held large vines of blue fruit. Finn maneuvered down the branch they were on and leapt across the way to land on the next. The tree of interest was farther than they thought it would be, but it looked promising. A heavy scent of citrus became very apparent as it invaded their nostrils when getting closer. Finn saw that the walnut sized fruit clusters came in groups of three or four underneath twin leaves.</p><p>Finn plucked a single berry off a vine and sliced it open with their claw. Then, they smeared a dab of the juices on the inside of their arm. Seeing that their skin didn’t react badly, they took a small piece and popped it into their mouth. Double Trouble regularly stressed that just because a food passed the smell and skin test didn’t mean it was safe.</p><p>Finn held it in their mouth and rolled it around with their tongue. It was a sweet and savory flavor with a tangy after finish. Seemed safe enough, but for an extra precautionary measure, they spit it out and waited another few minutes to see if any other reactions occurred. They didn’t. </p><p>Satisfied, Finn gathered up an armful of the tasty fruit and made their way back to Angello. He had laid down in a more comfortable position while taking in the rechargers energy. Finn didn’t actually know what would happen if they interrupted, so they placed half of the berries beside him and waited for him to wake up. Unfortunately, one bad quality Angello happened to inherit was his father’s snoring. It was the very reason they rarely had sleepovers. Finn hated loud noises.</p><p>It wasn’t too long before the recharger ran out of energy and powered down. The pulsing light became more and more feint, then stopped all together with a ping. Angello’s eyes automatically fluttered open. He first looked down at the recharger, then at the bunch of berries and smiled.</p><p>“Alright! Snacks.”</p><p>“Mhm. It’d be a shame if you dropped from the sky.”</p><p>“Oh, I wouldn’t fall,” Angello said while stuffing his face with berries. “You, on the other hand, are dead weight.”</p><p>“Psh, I always land on all fours.”</p><p>“Shall we test that theory?” </p><p>“Don’t push it,” Finn retaliated. They both happened to laugh that time. Angello with his deep belly laugh, and Finn with a quick chuckle. The rest didn’t last much longer after that. Finn climbed back onto Angello’s back, and the pair resumed their journey to Dryl. With each bound, the blurred details in the distance became more defined and formed into recognizable landmarks.</p><p>Angello was visibly struggling. The magic he was using was fading far quicker than before. Each jump required more concentration than the last. His muscles were straining from the energy he was expending, causing them to spazz under the pressure. Finn tried moving their weight around to make it easier for Angello, but it was out of their hands. </p><p>“We’re almost there!” Finn encouraged. They finally broke the tree line and bounded onto the grey rocky terrain.</p><p>Angello didn’t say anything. Not because he didn’t care, but because if he used any brainpower for anything other than concentration, he would surely stop. Finn could see his eyes flickering and glazing over.</p><p>They were nearly to the bottom of the mountain range where the farthest village was. Like Brightmoon, Dryl had also expanded. Some of it further down the mountain, and some <em> within </em>the mountain. However, it wasn’t for Etherian refugees. Dryl was considered the clone capital of the world. It was almost entirely inhabited by them. The princesses realized that with Horde Primes absence, they had to deal with the thousands of clones that were once under his control. It sparked a lot of controversy.</p><p>Some wanted them barred from living in Etheria, but others argued that they could be redeemed and make a life of their own. So they came to the agreement that each kingdom could decide for themselves, and left it at that. Dryl, the Freight Zone (renamed the Light Zone by Scorpia after she took back her kingdom), and Thaymor of Plumeria were the only places that allowed clone residents. Finn had also spotted some in the Crimson Waste, but it wasn’t technically a kingdom, so it didn’t count.</p><p>Finn felt Angello shutter and gasp at his last jump. He only reached half the distance he usually went and collapsed upon touching the ground. <em> Crap. </em>Fortunately, they weren’t far from the village they saw from above, but that wasn’t Finn’s priority at the moment.</p><p>Angello was a lot more stocky than Finn was, and they were well aware that they didn’t have the strength to carry him far. Still, they couldn’t leave him out in the open like this, so they rolled him over on his side, and lifted him onto their back.</p><p>“Come on, work with me here!” they hissed. </p><p>As with most unconscious people, Angello did not, in fact, work with Finn. Instead, his limp body destabilized Finn’s balance, and tipped them over. Finn caught the prince in their arms to shield them from the ground, but took all of the force as their head cracked against the dense earth. They swear they saw stars swirl around their head in a throbbing daze. So much so, they didn’t even notice a person approaching them.</p><p>“Little sibling?!” </p><p>Finn shot up to meet the voice, but regretted it immediately as a splitting headache set in. They groaned and grabbed their head while trying to locate who was talking to them. Much to their surprise, the person standing before them was no other than Wrong Hordak.</p><p>Wrong Hordak, or Wendy as he preferred to be called now (Entrapta picked it out), smiled at the small feline before him. “Oh sibling, it is you!” he exclaimed, easily picking up Finn into his arms and crushing him with an embrace. “I have not laid eyes upon you in many seasons! It is wonderful to bask in your presence once again!”</p><p>Finn groaned as the air squeezed out of their lungs. “Great to see you too, Wendy.” </p><p>Wendy noticed Finn’s discomfort and let them go, apologizing as they entered a violent coughing fit.</p><p>“Apologies, sibling. I am just so overjoyed to see you!” he said with another beaming smile. The utter happiness this clone harbored was almost sickening.</p><p>“Feelings mutual. Hey, while you’re here, do you mind helping me out?” Finn said with a gleam in their eyes. Wendy loved displays of emotion. </p><p>“Of course! I am eager to please my brothers and sisters with whatever they need. How may I be of service to you, little sibling?”</p><p>Finn ran back to Angello’s side and motioned for Wendy to aid them with lifting him off the ground. “You remember Angello, right? I need you to take care of him for a bit. He’s not hurt or anything, just exhausted from traveling. We came from Brightmoon as quickly as we could to find my moms. Have you seen them?”</p><p>Wendy followed Finn’s lead and allowed Angello to drape on his shoulder. Finn swore Angello made a noise of some kind, but Wendy interrupted their focus by patting Angello on the back. “Do not worry, sibling. I shall care for your friend until your return. Lucky for you, your parental units passed here very recently! In fact, they asked for you, but alas I did not know you arrived yet. What a coincidence that you are all here in Dryl,” he said joyously. </p><p>Finn couldn’t help but let the elation infect him. “Thank you so much for taking him. I’m kind of in a sticky situation here.”</p><p>Wendy frowned. “But you are not coated in any type of liquid adhesive?”</p><p>“It’s not that kind of sticky- oh never mind. Just please keep him safe.”</p><p>“Of course. I will not let any harm come to my new brother!”</p><p>Finn nodded and thought to start off to the castle, but recounted how literal Wendy took things. Yes, he always tried his best to help others, but he ultimately happened to mess something up unintentionally someway or another. </p><p>“Oh and Wendy? No one can know that Angello is here. Or that I just came right now.”</p><p>The clone’s face twisted briefly, processing what they just said. Finn tensed up, hoping that he wouldn’t see through them. Wendy let the words wash over him, then gasped and took on another jovial face. “Ah! It is a surprise then?”</p><p>“Yeah,” Finn started. “You could say it’s a surprise. So you can’t tell anyone.”</p><p>“Understood. My brother and I shall remain out of sight. Oh, I cannot wait until I see what surprise you have planned, sibling!” he clapped. </p><p>Finn cracked an unsure smile and patted Wendy’s shoulder. Then they switched their attention to Angello and placed their forehead against his. He couldn’t feel or see it, but it was Finn’s way of honoring their selfless friend. “I will be back soon. I promise.” </p><p>With that, Finn crouched on all fours and sped up the mountain. They were so close. They just had to hold on for a few more minutes and everything would be right again. No one would ever know a thing.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Clones, Drones, and Telephones</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>One would think that twenty years was enough time to mend any past trauma. But alas, for Catra, the city of Dryl was a minefield of long lost feelings and painful memories. One wrong move could very well be her last if she wasn’t careful. At least, unlike her past, she wasn’t alone. Adora, her beloved wife, was right there with her. Hand in hand, Catra knew that Adora wouldn’t let her drift too far into the darkness.</p><p>The couple had come by the request of Entrapta, who messaged them a few weeks ago about a technological breakthrough. She claimed that it would prove to be very useful if it worked correctly. The whole “if it works” part was the sole reason they didn’t come sooner. Entrapta didn’t exactly have a clean record of safe inventions, so Catra and Adora waited before coming to give Entrapta time to fix any kinks her program may have.</p><p>Honestly, everyone was quite surprised that she had contacted them at all. Entrapta developed a habit of going off into space for long periods of time “in the name of science” without telling anyone. At first the princesses insisted they come with her, but over the years, it became clear that the risk factor wasn’t as bad as they thought it to be. One by one, each princess dropped off the list of volunteers to venture with Entrapta into the vast unknown. Of course they still visited her when they could, but mostly they only came if she asked for them directly.</p><p>It wasn’t as if Entrapta were alone, however. She had plenty of clones and drones to keep her company since the majority of Horde Prime’s clones migrated to her city. If Catra had to guess, she’d wager that less than a fourth of the city were Etherian. The rest were either bots or the same haunting face of her former captures. </p><p>Catra knew she couldn’t really blame any of them. They were all brainwashed and controlled by Horde Prime to do his bidding. Upon their freedom, they all reacted similarly to Wendy when he was detached from the hive mind. All of them were just lost people with no connection to reality. They came to Dryl and started lives of their own in a functioning (if not a little weird) community of workers.</p><p>Still, Catra couldn’t help but feel anxious around clones. She still had nightmares about that one fateful day on Prime’s ship. The scar on the base of her neck reminded her of it whenever she gazed into a mirror. Every time she passed one a clone, she wondered if they were one of the ones who held her down when she was drowning. Did they even remember? She shuttered.</p><p>Adora must have been reading her mind, because she was suddenly pulling Catra into an embrace. “Hey, it’s going to be okay. They won’t hurt you anymore.”</p><p>Catra took deep breaths and let herself melt into Adora’s arms. There was no one she’d rather be with than Adora right now. She always knew just what to say, and just how to calm her. Of course it wasn’t totally one sided. Adora struggled with demons of her own, but they would always fight them together. </p><p>“I’ll be fine. Let’s just get this over with quickly,” she said, pulling apart from the hug. Adora held onto Catra’s hand and squeezed. “Of course.”</p><p>The closer they got to the castle, the busier the city became. It was bursting with life and activity. There were drones whirring overhead, unruly robots being chased by teams of engineers, and middlemen hurrying to shops with handfuls of equipment. Unsurprisingly, the majority of residents took after the princess’s love for science, making creations of their own. Dryl was far more technically advanced than the rest of Etheria, though the other princesses were slow to adapt. Tradition mixed with suspicion did that to people.</p><p>Catra felt a little better treading the busy streets. It reminded her of the constant movement back in their childhood. There were always soldiers hustling around, preparing for battles, and training troops. She wondered if Adora felt the same way. Though when Catra glanced over at the blonde, her face was full of worry.</p><p>“You okay?”</p><p>“We haven’t seen Finn anywhere. Wendy hadn’t seen them, and it doesn’t look like they’re here either,” Adora bit her lip.</p><p>“I’m sure they’re around here somewhere. Double Trouble is looking after them, remember? The two are practically attached by the hip these days,” Catra said, trying to soothe Adora’s nerves. She always was more protective of Finn than Catra ever was. </p><p>Adora managed a feint grin. “I know. Finn <em> does </em> idolize them a lot.”</p><p>“Just our luck, huh? Before we know it they’ll run off together to perform another one of those musicals. Who’s idea was it to allow Double Trouble to be their auncle anyway?”</p><p>“Yours,” Adora said with a complete smile.</p><p>“Don’t remind me,” Catra groaned. </p><p>Nonetheless, Adora put faith in her wife and child, allowing Catra to take them the rest of the way to the castle. Finn would have to be there, right? And as if her prayers had been answered, sitting atop the castle gate was the feline in question. Finn smiled upon their arrival and stood at attention.</p><p>“Halt!” Finn called out. “State your purpose, strangers!” </p><p>Catra stifled a laugh. Adora didn’t find it funny. </p><p>“We are Commander Mom and Momma here to retrieve a spunky kid from duty,” Catra shot back. That was enough for Finn. They clambered down the side of the metal wall and jumped in front Catra, who immediately put them in a loose headlock and rubbed their head.</p><p>“Hey kiddo, how’s it going?” </p><p>Finn pushed off their mom and allowed Adora to give them a quick hug. They let out a gentle purr of contentment as she rubbed behind their ears in a second greeting.</p><p>“And where have you been, my little adventurer?” Adora asked.</p><p>
  <em> Why does everyone call me little? I’m taller than Angello, aren’t I? </em>
</p><p>“I was saying goodbye to Double Trouble. They said they had to take another job,” Finn said innocently. It wasn’t too far off the truth. </p><p>“They left you here alone?” Adora looked around.</p><p>“It’s not like they just <em> left </em>me here, momma. They got a job request or whatever and said to find Aunt Entrapta. You just happened to find me first.”</p><p>Adora bit her lip again and turned to her wife for guidance. Catra shrugged. She didn’t seem bothered, therefore, Adora shouldn’t be either. Easier said than done. </p><p>“I’m glad you were being responsible instead of running off by yourself,” Adora told the feline. Finn felt a stab of guilt, but didn’t change their expression. So far, they hadn’t suspected anything, and Finn intended to keep it that way. </p><p>“Wait a minute. What are <em> you </em>doing here?” Finn turned the question on their parents. Technically, rule follower Finn wouldn’t have known that Catra and Adora were coming. In fact, in the eyes of Finn, the pair showed up unannounced without warning. Per Wendy’s words, it was a “coincidence”. </p><p>“Your aunt has a new gadget to show off to us. Since you were already in the city, we thought it would be the perfect time to come check it out,” Catra answered. “Plus, we like you, believe it or not.” </p><p>“I would have never guessed,” Finn said sarcastically. Adora left Catra and Finn to swap other snarky pleasantries and approached the gate. It looked intimidating a first glance, being that it was iron bars stretching almost twenty feet up. Entrapta only installed it for security purposes in the event that something in her lab went haywire. Otherwise, almost everyone had clearance.</p><p>On the bars, three small screens each at varying heights faced outward to scan anyone entering. Adora reached a hand toward the screen at eye level and channeled a beam of golden light in her palm. A green iridescent laser in the shape of a square poured out of the screen and swept over the light. Once it was satisfied, a blue button flashed twice, signaling that it accepted Adora.</p><p>“Welcome, She-ra,” a robot voice said through the screen. The gate began to tremble, then slowly sunk into the floor, allowing the family passage. Catra and Finn appeared at Adora’s side, and the three stepped into the castle. Luckily, Entrapta didn’t forget she was receiving visitors this time. A greeter bot was waiting for them on the other side. After ten years of complaining, Entrapta promised that she’d have a guide to take people through her maze. Better late than never.</p><p>This greeter bot in particular had a humanoid form but with comically large broad shoulders, wheel feet, and uneven arms. It was probably one of Entrapta’s prototypes. Those robots didn’t have much personalities like her newer ones. Knowing this, Finn took advantage of the indifferent bot and hopped onto it. “On forth!” </p><p>The robot-man wobbled under the new weight, but obeyed the order and directed them through the maze. As usual, after the first three turns and two trap doors, everyone lost count of how many hallways they wandered through. Finn wasn’t too particularly concerned, being that they were sitting atop the robot leading them. Though they could hear their moms comment on how inconvenient the whole process was. </p><p>Finally, the group rounded a familiar corner and walked right in front of Entrapta’s lab door. The door panel must have had a motion sensor, because it opened as soon as everyone neared it. Finn dismounted from their ride and took their place next to Catra and Adora. They may be able to escape many of their mothers requests, but being somewhat formal and put together when presenting as a family wasn’t one they could avoid.</p><p>Adora made sure of that.</p><p>Much to everyone’s surprise, Entrapta’s lab was.. Organized. Clean. Not a single piece of machinery misplaced. The floor was spotless, and every tool hung on the walls alphabetically. Even her desk, which was covered in some type of deconstructed motherboard, had the parts ordered by size. Catra blinked. Finn gaped.</p><p>“Entrapta?” Adora took initiative. “It’s Adora and Catra. Finn’s here with us, too.”</p><p>The ventilation pipes above them began to rattle, and a thicket of purple hair popped off the grate. Entrapta dropped from the ceiling and landed uncomfortably close to Finn.</p><p>“Finn? Oh yes! I remember,” she said, inspecting them. “Wow, you’ve grown exponentially since your last visit. Fifteen centimetres exactly. Your body mass increased, too. Fascinating.”</p><p>Her hair tendrils grabbed onto Finn’s limbs and stretched them out. Somehow, a ruler came out of nowhere and began taking measurements all over their body. Finn glanced nervously at Adora, who didn’t offer much knowing that this was just a part of Entrapta’s personality. Catra intervened by gently tugging on one of Entrapta’s locks. </p><p>“Slow down there. As fascinating as Finn is, we came because you said you wanted to show us something.”</p><p>Entrapta abruptly halted, searching her mind for what Catra was referencing to. “Right! I found some old Horde communication tech and decided to combine it with First One’s crystals,” she chirped, darting off to her desk. “It is far superior than any trackerpad we currently utilize and has almost triple the functions!”</p><p>Her hair split off into multiple strands and started opening various drawers. Entrapta quietly hummed while digging through a few herself.</p><p>“Ah ha!” she shouted. “I made it tiny!” In her hands lay a small wrist device. It was similar to any wrist accessory one would wear, but in the center was a black square bearing nine blinking lights in a three by three block. They twinkled as Entrapta put one on.</p><p>“I call it the Tactical Etherian Light that Extends Projected Holographic Observations Notifying Everyone, or TELEPHONE for short. It can do many things like calls, record up to one hundred hours of audio, locate people..” Entrapta saw the blank expressions on everyone’s face. “Okay.. why don’t I just show you.”</p><p>Her hair carried her to the group and slipped a telephone onto everyone’s wrist. “Each one is voice activated. All you need to do is flick your wrist for it to pick up on your sound waves. Watch!” </p><p>Entrapta shook her hand. “Call Hordak,” the nine lights formed into an H and blinked as she waited for a response. After a few beats, the blinking stopped, and the holographic image of Hordak from the waist up hovered above the telephone.</p><p>“Greetings, Entrapta. I hope your new lab is to your liking,” his hologram said. Entrapta spun around and glanced at her surroundings. “Oh yeah, you did that. I was just showing Catra and Adora the telephone!”</p><p>“I see,” he said solemnly. “I will leave you to your demonstrations.” </p><p>Hordak was well aware of his reputation among any of the princesses, especially to Catra and Adora. There was a reason he was “banished” to Dryl. He could technically travel wherever he wanted, though no one would welcome him. Redemption was a fantasy; he could never be forgiven for what he had done, not that he was really trying anyway. Obviously he never indulged in any evil activities since Horde Prime’s defeat, but he never tried fixing any burned bridges either. He knew his place in the pecking order.</p><p>The hologram waivered, then cut out as Hordak severed the connection. Entrapta didn’t blink. “That is only one function the telephone can do. It has the entire map of Etheria downloaded into its mainframe! If you select a location or person, it gives you the fastest route.”</p><p>With another flick, she requested the map. The image projected was one almost identical to the one they used in the war room. Except this one had small icons representing everyone with a telephone, which at the moment, included everyone in the room, along with Hordak and Wendy. “These are just the main uses, of course. It can do a myriad of other small tasks..” she trailed on. </p><p>Finn brushed their tail against Adora and motioned for her to listen. “Do I have to stay for all of this?” they whispered. </p><p>Adora paused and shifted her gaze back to Catra, who was trying her best to follow along Entrapta’s instruction. It was good to know she wasn’t the only one perplexed.</p><p>“I’ll just stay with Wendy until you’re done,” they continued. Adora chewed the inside of her cheek. She’d prefer Finn suffer alongside them, but they <em> had </em>been well behaved for the entire encounter. As parenting laws go, children who display good behavior deserve rewards, and Finn was due.</p><p>“Alright. Just be quiet when you leave. We’ll find you when Entrapta finishes,” she gave in. Finn beamed up at their mother and buried their face into her dress. “Thank you, momma.”</p><p>Adora raised the two corners of her lips and tangled her fingers in Finn’s hair. “I love you.” </p><p>Finn allowed Adora to plant a kiss atop their head. Another feeling of guilt swept through Finn. They knew they probably didn’t deserve this with all the deception they’ve caused. But what Catra and Adora didn’t know wouldn’t hurt them. Right now, all was right in the world. If Finn slipped up, it would shatter that image of perfection.</p><p>When they left, they didn’t look back.</p><p>-</p><p>Finding Wendy again wasn’t a challenge. Fashion was one concept he could never grasp, which led him to put on anything anyone gave him. Today, that happened to be purple overalls with a green undershirt and red boots. He was sweeping in front of what Finn presumed was his dwelling and waved when they came into view.</p><p>“Sibling! You have returned!” </p><p>Finn looked around nervously. “Hey Wendy, where’s Angello?”</p><p>“He is safe, do not worry,” Wendy proclaimed, obviously proud of himself.</p><p>“That’s great, but where is he?”</p><p>“He is in the community data building.”</p><p>Finn’s eyes bulged. Of course Wendy didn’t watch him. “Wendy! He’s supposed to be hidden!”</p><p>Wendy stopped sweeping and leaned against the stick. “Ah, I did remember! That is why I told all my brothers and sisters who saw us to look away and pay us no mind.”</p><p>Finn pinched their nose and tried to regulate their breathing. Anger didn’t register with Wendy, so raging was pointless. And, all things considered, he was just doing as he was told. Unless Angello really caused a disturbance, clones and drones alike probably wouldn’t notice. </p><p>“Can you take me there?” Finn finally said. Wendy tossed the broom aside. “Indeed I can! Right this way, sibling.”</p><p>The community data building was a square structure built into the side of the mountain. Half of the actual rooms were underground where they had less chance of being damaged. Thus far, no one had exited or entered, which came to the relief of Finn. An idling flying drone laying next to the doorstep buzzed as Finn grazed by. They didn’t have time to figure out why.</p><p>The first floor was what Finn expected of a data building. A disorganized mixture of Entrapta’s old lab with random wires poking through the ceiling. The room they entered had a large screen on the farthest wall running through some program that Finn didn’t bother to read into. They steadily walked through the hallways of each floor, only lingering in any rooms they thought Angello might be in.</p><p>Unexpectedly, the floor they found Angello on was entirely low tech. The lowest level, sub level five, held paper copies of all major works. Each room was bursting with old books, manuscripts, blueprints, and research papers. Angello was hunched over one of the desks, trailing his finger over a large paper sprawled in front of him.</p><p>Finn smirked. “Having fun?”</p><p>Angello, caught off guard, jumped in his chair. He quickly bunched up the paper and stuffed it into his pocket before meeting Finn’s gaze. </p><p>“A knock would’ve been nice,” he sighed.</p><p>Finn strolled over and cocked their head at the various other papers Angello had accumulated. “I see you’ve been busy.”</p><p>“What? Oh yeah. Just some blueprints I found interesting, that’s all,” he went to stand, favoring his left foot. “Did it work? Did we make it in time?”</p><p>“Yep! They don’t suspect a thing,” Finn gladly answered. </p><p>“What a relief! It’s good to know my amazing feat of endurance wasn’t wasted,” Angello joked.</p><p>“Never,” Finn winked.</p><p>Angello gingerly put his left foot forward and winced. “I think I might’ve sprained my ankle. I had Wendy fetch a drone to take me here.”</p><p>Finn immediately took to their friend’s side, taking Angello’s arm to support him. “Can you take the drone home? I know your mom wants you home by tomorrow."</p><p>“Most likely. I doubt I can walk very far. I’m completely empty,” Angello said, wiggling his fingers and failing to conjure any sparkles. </p><p>“Don’t expect me to do the heavy lifting now,” Finn said while helping Angello to the door.</p><p>“With those arms?” Angello said, squeezing Finn’s non existent biceps.</p><p>“Shush. These arms are keeping you from falling on your face right now.”</p><p>Angello felt a smile crawl up his face as Finn scowled. Making Finn crazy was his favorite. Though they weren’t wrong about keeping him from falling, so Angello kept quiet as they hobbled out of the building. </p><p>“I’ll message you when I get back,” Angello grunted as he settled atop the drone.</p><p>“Sounds like a plan. And thanks again,” Finn said sheepishly. “For all this. Really saved my butt.”</p><p>“Oh gosh, don’t get all sentimental. That’s not the Finn I know. Just think of it as a loan you’ll have to pay me back later.”</p><p>Finn punched Angello’s arm and chuckled. Angello shook his head and patted the drone beneath him, which activated four fans, propelling him into the air. He gave a final goodbye, and then flew off to Brightmoon. </p><p>Finn watched Angello chase the sunset. Everything worked out in the end. Once he was home, they could rest easy. Perhaps this rouge life wasn’t too bad after all.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. New Beginnings</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Oh, honey, these roots are atrocious.” </p><p>Double Trouble parted Finn’s hair. Finn was old enough to dye their own hair by now, but they still insisted that their auncle do the honors. Sentimental? Maybe. It became a monthly ritual to redye it, though Double Trouble didn’t mind. It was a way for both of them to relax, and Finn didn’t squirm like they used to. <em> That </em>had been a challenge. Getting a cat child to stay in one position for hours on end wasn’t an easy task.</p><p> </p><p><em> “If you move one more time, I </em> <em> will </em> <em> tape you to the wall,” Double Trouble warned. Finn tucked their tail underneath themselves and stilled their legs that were dangling over the chair. Double Trouble snaked their hand behind Finn’s head to swivel it in the mirror. It wasn’t the best work they’ve done, but it got the point across. They had to admit that the blond accented Finn’s fur rather well. If Finn stopped moving, Double Trouble would even go as far as saying it was more natural looking than their normal chocolate mane. </em></p><p>
  <em> Finn started drumming on their thighs. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “That’s it! I cannot possibly work in these conditions!” Double Trouble shouted, slamming the applicator on the bathroom counter. Finn yelped. The shapeshifter didn’t bother to filter the string of curses spitting from their mouth as they gathered up the materials. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “No, don’t clean up!” Finn begged. The feline grabbed their auncle’s arm to prevent them from leaving. “I’ll stay still this time, I swear.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Double Trouble yanked their arm from Finn’s grasp. “You lost your chance, kitten. I won't be playing any more of your plea games.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Finn’s ears dropped. “But if you stop, I’ll never be like momma,” their gaze shifted to the floor as they grabbed onto their tail.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Double Trouble perked an eyebrow. Finn squeezed their tail anxiously. “I only look like mom. If we didn’t tell anyone, no one would know that Adora is my momma. Just mom. So I thought that maybe, if I started to look like her, she would be my real mom, too.</em>
</p><p>
  <em> Finn’s voice cracked. Double Trouble didn’t need to see Finn’s face to know they were on the verge of tears. The poor kid actually believed that Adora didn’t love them as much as Catra just because the two weren’t bound by blood. Double Trouble wasn’t too familiar with family dynamics considering that they were orphaned as child, although that didn’t stop them from thinking that such a mindset was stupid. Finn didn’t see it that way.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “I don’t care that I don’t have the powers momma or the other princesses have,” Finn’s voice quivered. “I just want to look like momma so no one doubts who she is to me.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Double Trouble sighed. This was obviously a big deal for Finn, so they couldn’t just invalidate their emotions. Double Trouble was more confident that talking this situation out with their parents would prove to be more validating, but they doubted Finn wanted to have that conversation. If hair color brought them happiness, then so be it.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Double Trouble put the dye and foil back onto the counter. “Okay. No more interruptions. Keep in mind that I do have the power to draw on your fur,” they tried grinning. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Finn obliged, crawling back onto the stool. They sniffed, pressing their palms against their eyes to prevent any loose tears. They wouldn’t cry. Not now, and not ever if they could help it. They needed to be strong. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> To Finn’s credit, they endured the rest of the process without incident. Double Trouble didn’t break the silence as they finished. They simply removed Finn’s smock and stepped back to await Finn’s response. The feline tentatively inspected themself in the mirror. Their auncle was right. It did look good. Double Trouble had partly shaved on their left to let the hair drape across the opposite side. Their crystal blue eyes shimmered underneath the sunny locks. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Do you think she’ll like it?” Finn asked quietly. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “I’ll bet all my coin that she cries,” Double Trouble replied with a flick of their tail. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> She did. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Finn had added their own dramatic flare over the years with their hair. Now it arched in an upward curl in the front before falling down on their right side. Double Trouble was quite amused when Finn confessed they had been stealing Catra’s product for their own use. Mostly for the fact that for once, it was something Double Trouble didn’t influence them to do.</p><p>“Should I be concerned that you have dirt in your hair?” Double Trouble cringed, examining the small speck between their fingers. “There’s something called hygiene, love. Should I call over your mother? When you were younger she would li-”</p><p>“Nope! I’m good!” Finn cut them off. They <em> did not </em>need to be reminded of how Catra decided to clean them as a baby. The fact that their auncle mentioned it all was horrifying. </p><p>“Mhm. I’ll go out on a whim and assume you’re opposed to me washing this mess,” Double Trouble continued, wielding a comb. Finn instinctively flinched at the implied water torture. “That’s what I thought.”</p><p>Double Trouble dabbed the applicator into the dye and began painting where the color was faded most. In the two weeks they’d been gone, the roots decided to shed the previous coloring. It was the little things like this that personally irritated Double Trouble on a weirdly personal level. Then again, not everyone could morph their hair into any shape and color, so they kept their mouth shut.</p><p>“So, kitten, a little birdie told me that you had a little family reunion in Dryl,” Double Trouble tried picking up a conversation.</p><p>“You could say that,” Finn exhaled. “You wouldn’t <em> believe </em>what I had to go through to pull it off.”</p><p>Their auncle sneered. “Try me.”</p><p>Finn licked their lips and started back at the beginning. Knowing the shapeshifter’s love for high stakes and thrill, Finn left out any unnecessary smaller details related to them interacting with Angello. They felt a little bad for not giving Angello the credit he deserved, but Double Trouble wasn’t particularly close with any of Finn’s friends. </p><p>“Guilting the prince to carry you all the way to Dryl? How devious,” Double Trouble remarked. “Who knew you had that charisma in you.”</p><p>“It’s not devious,” Finn didn’t know what that word meant. “Angello willingly went with me. Besides, it was his fault for not stopping my moms!”</p><p>Double Trouble burst out laughing. Finn had to duck as the lizard person doubled over in laughter. “Stopping your mothers? Have you <em> met </em>them? Darling, you are so precious. Even me, the most fabulous being in Etheria, couldn’t stop those two.”</p><p>Finn rolled their eyes. Everyone spoke as if Catra and Adora were some kind of gods that walked among mere mortals for no other reason than to play hero. Perhaps they carried a different perception of their moms since they’d only grown up seeing them as motherly figures, but they didn’t understand how everyone saw them as perfect idols. Finn knew their mothers dark secrets. Like how Adora still considered frogs a threat to Etheria, or that whenever Catra has to bathe, she requires Adora to sing for her.</p><p>“Okay, so my moms are ethereal people. I get it,” Finn huffed.</p><p>Double Trouble covered the last of the brown roots. “Don’t get so blue, kitten. I have something for you that might lift your spirits.” </p><p>“Is it another job?!” </p><p>“Even better. Hold out your hands and close your eyes.”</p><p>Finn did as they were told. As they extended their hands, a cool metallic object was placed in their palms.</p><p>“Happy birthday!” the lizard person clapped.</p><p>“Double Trouble, my birthday isn’t for another six months-” Finn trailed off. In their hands lay identical twin daggers. Each was the size of their forearm with thick blades that slightly curved upward at the tip. Upon examination, both had First Ones writing etched into the metal. Finn trailed a finger down the symbols.</p><p><em>Justice and</em> <em>Valor. Those must be the name of the daggers.</em></p><p>Finn curled their tender hands around the cloth wrapped hilt and tested the weight. They were a little heavier than what they’ve practiced with, and yet, it felt right. The feline lifted the knife and slashed experimentally in the air. It made a satisfying <em> whoosh </em>. </p><p>“Try not to lose a finger,” Double Trouble smiled. Finn didn’t reply. They were too busy basking in the glory of the weapons they now possessed. Adora was strictly against any forms of weaponry, and Catra would only spar with sticks, or stick to plain wrestling. It was their auncle who taught them to wield knives, but Finn didn’t actually believe that they’d actually inherit a set of their own. Double Trouble only let them use theirs during practice. </p><p>“Every vigilante has a trademark item,” Double Trouble went on. “<em> Justice </em> and <em> Valor </em>are yours. I can tell you’ve got a long road ahead of you, kitten. Use them wisely.”</p><p>“Where did you get these?” Finn finally asked.</p><p>“Oh, please, a magician never reveals their secrets,” the shapeshifter winked. “Go run along now. I’m sure you want to play with your new toys.”</p><p>Finn didn’t need to be told twice. They barreled out of the chair and skidded into the hallway. They needed to show Angello.</p><p>-</p><p>Finn hadn’t talked to Angello much since Dryl. For the first couple of days, he mostly slept and relaxed, which was understandable. When Finn got back to Brightmoon with their parents, he was still recharging under the moonstone. Other than that, the two were kept apart due to the different duties required of them. Angello was the crown prince, after all. He accompanied Bow and Glimmer to any important discussions to get a feel for what will one day become his. Finn didn’t have as many responsibilities, though Catra and Adora stressed that Finn be Angello’s support on the council. Yes, it was as boring as it sounded.</p><p>Being that it was still late morning, Finn headed to Angello’s room. Most, if not all, royal activities took place after noon. The queen and king enjoyed sleeping in. It was one of the things Finn couldn’t relate to. Both of their moms were early risers, a habit that never went away from their Horde days. Obviously it passed down to Finn, who could never sleep in past sunrise. It was a blessing and a curse. Sometimes they’d wait upwards to four hours before Angello woke up.</p><p>The Brightmoon hallways leading to Angello’s room were covered in murals. Some were older; those were the first princess alliance depictions and the former king, Micah. After the war was over, new ones were built to acknowledge the new heroes of Etheria. Queen Glimmer and her king consort, Bow, was the first mural Finn saw. The two were back to back, Bow shooting arrows and Glimmer thrusting her hand outward for a blast of magic. Behind them, the outline of old Brightmoon was under siege from the first major battle. </p><p>The next was honoring the rest of the princesses. All of them stood together, holding hands and lifting their hands to the sky. Each emitted a different color, which formed a rainbow above them. That was Angello’s favorite. Typical. </p><p>It was the last mural that finally showed Finn’s parents. It was different from the others. While the other princesses were depicted in a battle, Catra and Adora’s was of peace and prosperity. The two were side by side, linking arms. Behind Adora, the outline of She-ra stood tall with her sword at the ready. Meanwhile, Catra’s free arm was resting on Melog, who was happily sitting in a grassy field. </p><p>Finn shook their head and kept moving. They didn’t need to be reminded of the constant shadow they lived under. Simply existing was enough.</p><p>It was Bow that was standing in front of Angello’s door. He looked as if he was frozen, or just very lost in thought. His head was inclined toward the door, trying to listen to whatever was happening inside. When he caught sight of Finn, he motioned for them to come over.</p><p>“Hey, Uncle Bow,” Finn said with a hint of confusion. They subtly tried to hide the daggers behind their back.</p><p>Bow wasn’t paying attention. Instead, he put a finger to his lips then pointed to the door. “Listen,” he whispered.</p><p>Finn’s ears twitched, picking up the distant sound. It was music. Angello’s music. Surprisingly, it was a song that Finn recognized. It was one of the tunes Angello and Finn made up as children. Finn hated singing, so they opted to add a steady beat. They didn’t have a drum, so the two wandered around the castle for any objects making a similar sound.</p><p>Bow leaned away from the door. “You hear it? I haven’t heard him play in awhile.”</p><p>Finn nodded in agreement. They were too focused on making sure he didn’t see their knives to engage in idle conversation. </p><p>“I would love to go in and tell him how proud I am, but I don’t want to interrupt this moment. His mother embarasses him enough. Maybe you can encourage him to play for his parents again, hm?” Bow elbowed Finn.</p><p>Finn chuckled nervously and shifted their weight uneasily underneath them. “Sure.” </p><p>Bow’s expression softened. He put a gentle hand on Finn’s shoulder. “You’re a good kid, Finn. Angello talks of you fondly. I’m glad he has a friend like you.”</p><p>Finn’s toes curled inward. The emotions triggered by that statement were not pleasant. “If only my mothers saw it that way,” they muttered. Bow offered a sympathetic smile.</p><p>“Your moms were just like you around your age. Remember that they were reckless and adventure bound too. All of us disobeyed some rules at some point. Some were intentional, others on purpose. But all of them were for the greater good. I believe that that applies to you too, Finn,”</p><p><em> Since when did Bow get all inspirational? </em>Finn didn’t show it, but they appreciated Bow’s words. There was a lingering suspicion that he knew what Finn was up to, however he didn’t seem like the type to withhold information for a later catch. It could just be that he genuinely accepted Finn’s quirks. </p><p>“Thank you.” </p><p>Bow patted the feline’s shoulder, then turned on his heel and walked off toward the kitchen. He was most likely on his way to fetch his wife some breakfast before stopping in front of Angello’s door. Now onto more important matters, Finn knocked on Angello’s door. Per usual, Angello didn’t respond. Finn’s tail flicked in annoyance. </p><p>“Ready or not, I’m coming in!” they shouted, busting the door open. Very unexpectedly, the room was empty. Finn’s nostrils picked up a very weak scent from the area, indicating he hadn’t been there for awhile. Finn should’ve been worried that their friend was missing, but at the moment, they were more interested in seeing where the music was coming from. </p><p>Tracking the sound (which wasn’t very hard), Finn scrambled up the floating steps and hopped into Angello’s bed. Angello’s telephone was propped up on one of the pillows playing a recording of his song. It was on a thirty minute loop. <em> Odd. </em>Next to the telephone was a handwritten letter addressed to Finn. Reaching for the paper, Finn grabbed it, and poured over its contents.</p><p>
  <em> I knew you’d be looking for me sooner or later. Please don’t try to look for me. I’m fine. Don’t worry, I’m not in any trouble. At least if I don’t get caught! Oh gosh I’m turning into you. Anyway, leave the music on. My parents won’t bother coming in if they think I’m playing. Just wait for me to come back. I have something super cool to show you. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>  Angello  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Finn grunted. They hated waiting. Patience wasn’t a quality they were known for. One time Willow took them to meditate with Aunt Perfuma. Finn didn’t last ten minutes with the flower princess. Patience was for those who could afford to waste time. To Finn, every second should be used to the fullest. Unfortunately for the feline, arguing with a paper would prove to be useless.</p><p>So, with a disgruntled sigh, they curled up on Angello’s bed. All things considered, it wasn’t too bad of a place to idle. The hanging bed offered a gentle rock, and Angello’s music provided a soft lullaby they could unwind to. It was quite peaceful. Then again, Angello’s room always felt oddly tranquil. Finn yawned. Angello couldn’t be gone for long. At least, Finn hoped he wouldn’t.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Best Friend Squad 2.0</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Wakey wakey, sleepy head.” </p><p>Finn felt a poke in their ribs. Smacking their lips, they yawned and stretched their arms out, pawing the pillow underneath them. With bleary eyes, Finn saw Angello standing over them with a dumb grin on his face. <em> Did I really fall asleep? </em>Finn cursed themself.</p><p>“You’re so cute when you’re asleep,” Angello cooed. His eyes sparkled. </p><p>Finn hissed and half heartedly swiped at the prince. “Shut up!"</p><p>Angello shielded his face from the attack and chuckled. “I’m not the one who was all snuggled up on someone else's bed. How long have you been here anyway?”</p><p>Finn blinked and looked around. Based on how the light was casting shadows outside, they’d guess that it was a little after midday. It couldn’t have been more than a few hours, but the fact that they’d fallen asleep at all was embarrassing. The feline shot upright and smoothed down their fur. </p><p>“Not long,” Finn coughed. Angello eyed his friend, unconvinced.</p><p>“That’s not the point here,” Finn argued. They picked up the letter and waved it in front of Angello. “What’s with this? Mysterious much?”</p><p>“I needed to make sure it worked first!” Angello answered.</p><p>“You needed to make what work?”</p><p>Angello hopped off the bed and floated to the ground. “Remember when we were in Dryl and I went into the community data building?”</p><p>Finn had crawled to the edge of the bed to peer down at the prince. “What about it?”</p><p>“Well, first I was looking at my dad’s files,” Angello started walking toward his wardrobe. “I wanted to see if he had any creations I didn’t know about. As I flipped through the blueprints, I found one that Aunt Entrapta had drawn out. It was a weapon she designed for my dad, but he never used it.”</p><p>He glanced back at Finn, who already figured out where this was going. From the wardrobe, Angello pulled out a strange weapon that Finn had never seen before. It reminded Finn of a regular bow in a sense. Except this one was much smaller, turned on its side. Attached to it, a long trigger device held the string back so a bolt could rest in the groove. </p><p>“She called it a crossbow,” Angello said proudly, displaying the weapon for Finn as he ascended back up to the bed. “Instead of pulling back the string yourself on a regular bow, this lets you lock the string in place. That way, it’s already ready to shoot!”</p><p>Finn hovered their hand over the crossbow. “Wait a minute. You made this!?” </p><p>“Yeah. It was all in the blueprints. All I had to do was rummage in my dad’s room for the right tools. It took me awhile, though. The first one I built fell apart the first time I fired it. Thankfully, this one works just fine!” </p><p>Finn was thoroughly impressed. They didn’t doubt that Angello wasn’t talented, but building a weapon that technically didn’t exist two weeks ago was beyond their expectations. In comparison, Finn’s daggers seemed like childsplay. Daggers! They almost forgot. </p><p>“Since we’re on the topic of new weapons, look what Double Trouble got me!” Finn said, retrieving the daggers. Angello’s eyes widened.</p><p>“Your auncle gave you a SWORD?” Angello gasped, leaning forward.</p><p>“Daggers,” Finn corrected with a disappointed sigh. The apple didn’t fall too far from the tree. He looked exactly like his dad when surprised. “It’s a set of my own. I guess they felt I was ready.”</p><p>“You know what this means right,” Angello had another one of his stupid grins. Finn stared expectantly. </p><p>“We’re forming our own best friend squad!!” he squealed. “Think about it! We just had our first adventure together, and now we have our special weapons. All we need is Willow and we’re complete.”</p><p>Angello was sparkling again. He was obviously very excited. On the other hand, Finn was visibly confused. While they didn’t use the term ‘best friend squad’, they always assumed that the three of them were a pack. Since childhood, it was Finn, Angello, and Willow exploring Plumeria and Brightmoon together. Granted, Willow hadn’t been with them for a few months, but she was occupied with more important family matters. </p><p>What’s more, it occurred to Finn that not too long ago, Angello was still hesitant to go anywhere without parental permission. Now he was actively breaking rules. It’d only been two weeks! Finn was torn between feelings. They should be thrilled that Angello was shedding his perfect prince attitude. Unfortunately, it was jealousy that coursed through their veins. </p><p>Finn was aware they didn’t have powers. It didn’t really bother them. Their mom didn’t have any, Uncle Bow didn’t, and all of Willow’s little siblings didn’t either. Their physical skills made up for lack of magic. It was the one thing that Angello and Willow didn’t have. It’s what set Finn apart from the princesses. But now, Angello was taking that away from them. </p><p>Finn balled up a fist and reluctantly returned Angello’s smile. “Sounds great. In fact, why don’t we call her and see if she can come over?” they said through gritted teeth.</p><p>Angello was oblivious. “That’s an awesome idea!” he was about to go on when a knock interrupted them.</p><p>“Excuse me, your majesty?” a guard spoke. “Your presence is requested by the queen and king in the war room. Erelandia representatives have arrived to discuss recent border disputes.”</p><p>Angello flashed an apologetic look at Finn. “Sorry, I have to attend this. It’s been on the calendar for weeks. Go ahead and contact Willow, I’ll find you later.” </p><p>The prince quickly descended to the ground and swiped his crown atop the dresser. Angello didn’t like wearing his crown. Apparently, he didn’t feel as if he had earned the privilege to bear the title that came with it yet. Bow and Glimmer understood his discomfort, though during formal occasions where he was presenting as the prince, he was required to wear it. He paused near the door, placing the crown on his head and adjusting it accordingly. Then, straightening his posture, he allowed the door to be opened, and stepped into the hallway.</p><p>Finn didn’t watch him go. They needed to let off some steam. One hand still balled up, they jostled their telephone with the other arm and activated the message system. A transparent keyboard popped up before them. Finn sent a message to Willow.</p><p>
  <em> Come to Brightmoon </em>
</p><p>-</p><p>Finn honestly wasn’t sure if she’d come. Firstly because neither of her moms were very tech savvy, so there was a high possibility that the message wouldn’t even be received. And secondly, she had her hands full with Plumeria. Four months ago, Willow’s older sister, Princess Amber, was inaugurated as the official princess of the Light Zone. Scorpia had never shown much interest in being a ruler to begin with, so she had no issue with allowing her daughter to take up the throne. Not to mention that Amber was already ingrained with the Light Zone’s people from her legislative work.</p><p>Obviously, Scorpia and Perfuma were focused on helping their eldest daughter settle into her new home (as she previously resided in Plumeria with the rest of her siblings), which left Willow in charge of the kingdom for the time being. From what Finn heard via their parents and Angello, she was managing quite well. Jasper, her younger brother, was also rumored to be picking up some slack in his parents absence as well. Her other siblings were still a bit young to contribute. </p><p>Knowing this, Finn was quite glad to see the flower princess enter Brightmoon. As always, Willow kept her attire simple and elegant. Her sleeveless jade turtleneck was fitted with a tan v-neck vest that flared out near the bottom to form a short skirt. To keep it together, a golden belt wrapped around her midsection, connected by an opal clasp. On her wrist, a fuchsia rose bracelet accented the bright pink pants that hugged her legs tightly. </p><p>As she neared, Finn noticed the flower petals littering her shortly cropped white hair. They assumed it came from her rose hair clip behind her right ear. She walked with purpose. Willow always did. Something about having her head held high and a perfectly straight posture as she put each step forward did that. Finn watched as she greeted the guards at the front gate and disappeared into the castle. They assumed she would go straight to the throne room to pay her respects to the queen, so the feline decided to meet her there. Plumerians were big on formalities. It was a norm for them to treat everyone with the utmost respect, especially those of other kingdoms. </p><p>Finn found Willow waiting patiently with her hands folded neatly in front of her. Since the royal family was still in the war room, Willow took it upon herself to sit by the door until the queen and king were finished. </p><p>“You might be waiting a while. They’ve been in there for hours,” Finn commented. Willow lifted her hazel eyes to focus on Finn. </p><p>“Finn!” she beamed. The flower princess rose from her seat. She gently took one of Finn’s hands in both of her own. “I’m glad to see you. I came as soon as I could.”</p><p>Finn noted that Willow was now a good head taller than they were. Apparently she had gone through a growth spurt while gone. At sixteen, it was expected, though Finn enjoyed nagging Angello that they were younger and taller. </p><p>“Thanks. It was Angello who wanted us to get together,” Finn clarified.</p><p>“Oh. Is he here with you?” Willow asked, spinning in a circle to find her other friend. Finn had to jump back to avoid the scorpion tail waving past them. They knew from experience that it was better to err on the side of caution when dealing with stingers. Willow noticed her mistake and blushed.</p><p>“Sorry! I didn’t mean to,” she grabbed her tail carefully. “I’m so clumsy. I’m not used to being indoors with so little space,” she chuckled nervously.</p><p>Right. Willow preferred to be outside. She was the flower princess after all. “It’s fine. Do you want to wait in the garden?”</p><p>“I’d love to! I mean, if that’s okay. I haven’t said hi to Auntie Glimmer and I don’t want to be rude,” she babbled.</p><p>“She’ll be fine. C’mon. I’ll just let Angello know where we are,” Finn urged. They walked beside her as they quickly shot off a message to Angello informing him of their whereabouts. The Brightmoon garden wasn’t fancy by any standard, but it was small and quiet, which was perfect to find peace in. Not that Finn was really in the mood to be calm, anyway.</p><p>The garden consisted of a long stretch of grass in a long rectangle going out from the castle. Lined on the edges, small bright flowers in a colorful spiral decorated the lawn. Larger shrubs were a few yards away from either side, allowing for a walkway. Erected at the end of the plot was a small covered gazebo with stained glass windows and a smattering of potted plants. It originally held Shadow Weavers herbs. Catra and Adora contested they tear it down, though they compromised with Glimmer to keep the gazebo and rid it of her things instead.</p><p>Willow eagerly ran ahead of Finn. Similar to the feline, she too didn’t wear much in the terms of footwear. She wanted to feel the earth between her toes and in her skin. The flower princess ran onto the lawn and giggled. Coming to a stop, she twirled in one spot, extending both hands to either side. All of the flora immediately burst into life. The grass straightened, flowers bloomed to their full potential, and everything became several hues lighter. </p><p>Vines from the shrubbery extended upward and crawled up the walls. Flowers popped up all over the lawn. When she came to a stop, Willow clapped joyously, looking around at the beauty she had created. Some of the petals snapped off in the wind and twirled like dancers around them. Finn blinked several times. They hadn’t noticed the flower crown that appeared on their head. Not until Angello pointed it out.</p><p>“What? No crown for me?” he chuckled, entering the garden. The flower princess squealed. After waving her hands to summon a wreath of flowers for him, she hurried over to Angello and swept him up in a hug. Angello returned the tight embrace.</p><p>“I’ve missed both of you so much,” Willow confided. She let go of Angello.</p><p>“Same here. Life’s not the same without you. No one’s here to keep Finn on a leash,” Angello jested.</p><p>“I thought that was your job,” Finn retorted, tossing away their crown. Angello rolled his eyes. </p><p>“You guys,” Willow shook her head. “I didn’t come all this way to watch you bicker.”</p><p>“Wait, why did you come?” Angello said, confused.</p><p>“You <em> asked </em>me to bring her here, dodo,” Finn jabbed a finger into Angello’s forehead.</p><p>“Oh right! I’ll be right back. You catch her up!” Angello said quickly, bouncing off to his room. </p><p>“I’m not following,” Willow remarked regretfully. </p><p>Finn sighed. “I took Angello with me on an... escapade after getting into a jam. He got really excited and built his own weapon to be like his dad. At the same time, Double Trouble gave me these,” the feline revealed the blades that were concealed underneath their clothing. “So Angello thought we’d start our own best friend squad.”</p><p>Finn wasn’t entirely sure what Willow was thinking at first. The daggers obviously made her uncomfortable, seeing that she jumped at the sight of them. She heard “best friend squad” and smiled, but her mind was more occupied with the weapons. It occured to Finn that this may very well be her first time seeing daggers. Most Plumerians were pacifists. Willow herself was similar to Adora, being that she didn’t condone unnecessary violence. </p><p>“You don’t have to wield these or anything,” Finn blurted. “Angello wanted to form a squad like our parents, and you’re our best friend, so it made sense.”</p><p>Finn saw Willow thinking. Her brows were perked in a precarious angle trying to come to a conclusion. She put a finger to her lips and tapped them thoughtfully. “What would we be doing?”</p><p>“Go on adventures. Explore. Kinda like the good old days.”</p><p>The flower princess nodded slowly. “I.. I could do that. We wouldn’t be hurting anyone right? I like helping people,” she added.</p><p>“Exactly, we’re just exploring and helping people,” Finn reassured. Willow seemed to relax. </p><p> Finn wasn’t exactly sure what they were going to do. Angello didn’t go into details. All they wanted was to get out and train with the daggers. To show Angello that they were far more experienced. That they still held some upperhand. That they didn’t need magic to be powerful. Their skill with blades would prove it.</p><p> </p><p> <em> “Fighting is an art. A masterpiece. A dance between competitors,” the lizard person explained. “You are playing against one another until the grand finale.” </em></p><p>
  <em> Double Trouble had Finn sitting on a fallen log. The pair were in the depths of Whispering Woods for another one of Double Trouble’s lessons. Today Finn was learning the basics of combat. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Ideally, we try to not fight at every opportunity. But there are always stakes around every corner,” Double Trouble purred, exciting themselves at the thought of risks. “That’s why we have to be ready for anything.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Finn waved their tail enthusiastically. The shapeshifter smirked. “You’re small, so big swords don’t suit you, kitten. You want to be fast and nimble. That’s why I’ll be teaching you with these.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Double Trouble produced a dull blade for the feline. The knife was specially made for the small hands of a child. As Finn took it, they could see the blunt edges of the metal. Their auncle still had some sense of safety. It would be easier to explain bruises after a long day of secret training rather than cuts and blood.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Now try to strike me,” the shapeshifter narrowed their eyes. Finn hopped to their feet. With another tail flick, they leapt forward, lunging toward Double Trouble with the blade extended before them. The lizard person easily pivoted to the side, causing Finn to run straight past them. The feline dug their heels into the dirt to stop their momentum and whirled around, this time trying an aerial assault. They bounced off two trees, gaining altitude before gripping the knife with both hands and sailing down toward their auncle. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Double Trouble raised their dagger to block Finn’s. As the two blades connected, Double Trouble used their strength to toss Finn to the side. When Finn’s feet touched the ground, the lizard person swiped a leg under the feline, toppling them to the ground. Finn hissed when their auncle pointed the knife at their neck. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Tsk tsk. You remind me of your mother,” Double Trouble remarked. Finn lifted their ears gleefully. The shapeshifter realized how that was interpreted incorrectly and pinched their nose. “No, not that way, kitten."  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Finn was confused. Double Trouble retracted the dagger and allowed Finn to stand. “You’re acting like She-ra. Which is understanbly something you’d want to imitate, but not with a dagger.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> The feline wiped off the dirt from their pants. “But She-ra is powerful.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Yes,” the lizard person confirmed. “With a sword. You, on the other hand, do not have a sword. You have daggers. With daggers you are not aiming to deliver one fatal blow. You want to tire out your enemy. Play with them. Wait until they let their defenses down.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Finn turned the words over in their mind. This was different from what they were expecting. All fighting they heard about was about getting straight to the point. Maybe that’s because everyone had a bigger weapon? No matter. Finn was determined to land a strike on Double Trouble.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> This time, Double Trouble acted first. They darted to the left, reaching for Finn’s right flank. The feline bent backward, missing the sweeping blade by inches. They tried jabbing their own dagger into the shapeshifters foot, but the lizard person shifted their feet to the side. Finn kept their momentum by turning their fall into a back handspring. There was no time to pause. Double Trouble’s dagger was already coming at Finn’s face.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Finn brought their dagger to meet Double Trouble’s. Meanwhile, they snaked their leg to the back of the shapeshifters knee, digging their heel into their skin. Double Trouble’s knees buckled. Finn took the opportunity to kick up some leaves on the ground, aiming for their auncle’s face. With Double Trouble’s visibility blocked, Finn hopped over the lizard person, slashing across their shoulders. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> When the leaves settled, Finn crossed their arms expectantly. Double Trouble was running a finger across their shoulders, inspecting them for any wounds. Seeing that there was nothing to be concerned about, the shapeshifter turned their attention to the feline before them. Finn bore a smug grin. They were a fast learner. Double Trouble gave them that. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Not too bad, kitten.”  </em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Coup De Grace</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Finn was having fun.</p><p>No. That was an understatement. Finn was having the time of their life. </p><p>Who knew defeating sentient plant creatures could be so enjoyable? They’d roped Willow into making them as practice targets. Technically, it wasn’t “hurting” anyone (or them for that matter). As long as Angello refrained from using any fire spells, everyone was happy.</p><p>The Whispering Woods was a perfect place for battle. There was lots of cover for the feline to hide in, not to mention the terrain serving ample resources to use during combat. Finn was currently perched in a tree, ducked down in a bushel of leaves as their foe wandered cluelessly below. The bipedal plant creature stilled under the shadow of the branch Finn was waiting on. Finn silently curled their tender fingers around the hilt of <em> Valor. </em>The glint of metal briefly caught their eyes as they raised the blade.</p><p>With a flick of their wrist, the knife barreled toward the plant creature. Sensing the sudden movement, the interwoven plant creature quickly summoned a thick vine to knock it out of the air. Finn didn’t waste any open opportunities. They launched out of the tree with an impressive amount of enthusiasm, using one hand to fake an overhead attack as they threw the second dagger. It sank into the creature’s thigh, piercing through the other side. Finn hit the ground and immediately rolled, retrieving the fallen knife still on the ground.</p><p>The creature lifted an arm, shooting another vine at Finn. They dropped to all fours and dove to the left. From there, they sunk their heels into the earth and sprang forward, catching the creature on its shoulder with the dagger. The creature roared and wrapped a green tendril around Finn as they unsuccessfully tried to dodge out of the way. Not wanting to be captured, Finn wriggled in its grasp, planting their feet on the creature’s chest before pushing off, simultaneously slicing through the vines. The creature’s vine arms thudded to the ground, completely severed off. Finn arched in a graceful backflip, landing in a perfect t-pose.</p><p>Knowing that they were moments from victory, Finn shouted a battle cry and took the dagger in both hands, running directly toward the creature. They plunged the knife directly into the chest of the creature, putting their entire weight behind the force to topple them. At that, the glowing spores acting as the creature’s eyes faded. Finn won.</p><p>“I don’t know about you,” Finn said rather loudly, extracting the dagger from the creature. “But I feel like I’m doing better at this than you are.”</p><p>In the distance, Finn could hear a sparkle bomb go off. They sighed, crossing their arms waiting for Angello to finish up. </p><p>“I’m a little busy!” the prince shouted back. Another scuffle echoed through the trees. Finn scowled, grumbling as they stomped over to their friend. Clearing a few fallen logs, Finn came across an interesting sight. Angello was flanked by two plant creatures. One was bipedal similar to the one Finn just finished off. The other was a quadruped resembling a deer-like animal. Angello summoned a swirling ball of sparkles in one hand, shoving it into the face of the bipedal plant creature.</p><p>The deer-plant lowered its head and rammed into Angello’s back. He was butted several feet forward, dropping to his knees. Both creatures charged the prince. Angello yelped, scrambling to his feet and taking off into the air. He twisted to peer down at the plant creatures, pointing his crossbow at them. The bolt fired, thudding into the abdomen of the bipedal plant creature. Meanwhile, the deer-plant’s ‘antlers’ transformed into vine whips, lashing out at the prince.</p><p>Angello attempted to form a force field around himself, but he was too slow. One whip slashed his side while the other wrapped around his leg. With a yank, the prince was dragged to the ground. The plant creatures closed around him. </p><p>Finn had been watching this entire interaction. On one hand, they felt as though they should leave Angello and let him handle his fight on his own. Personally, they’d be upset if someone interrupted their own battle. On the other, how could they pass this opportunity to show off? Finn eagerly took one dagger in each hand.</p><p>“In coming!”</p><p>The feline sprinted forward. Both plant creatures snapped their heads up at the sound of the new adversary. The bipedal one acted first, taking the initiative by charging back at Finn as its arms hardened into sharpened wood pikes. Finn smiled at the fast moving plant creature. They flung <em> Justice </em>first, watching it collide with the wooden arm. The plant creature didn’t break its stride while swinging at Finn with its other limb. Finn brought up their other dagger to block in the incoming attack.</p><p>Finn barely had enough time to snatch <em> Justice </em> from the wooden arm as the plant creature attempted to beat the feline down with a series of blows. Before this, Finn had never really understood their auncle’s description of ‘dancing’ when fighting. Sure, it involved some fancy footwork and enticing hand movements, but Finn never actually viewed it as <em> dancing. </em>And then the creature entered a barrage of attacks.</p><p>Suddenly, everything clicked. The world seemed to slow as a distant imaginary tune played in the background. It didn’t take Finn too long to find a steady rhythm. </p><p>
  <em> Attack, block, evade, wound. Attack, block, evade, wound. </em>
</p><p>Finn was well aware they could end the fight in three moves. They could twirl to the side, trip the creature, and bury both daggers into its body. But they didn’t want to. Why would they? They’ve never felt more alive. Instead, they put on a fantastic show worthy of their auncle’s applause. </p><p>Finn let themself shuffle back, going completely defensive as the creature trapped them against a tree. They continued using their daggers to avoid being hit, waiting for the perfect opportunity. The feline faked vulnerability on their shoulder, teasing the creature to strike them. Just as Finn wanted, the creature thrust their arm out to pierce Finn’s shoulder, only to miss as Finn rolled out of the way. It slammed into the tree, thudding into the truck harshly. </p><p>Seeing that the arm was now stuck, Finn happily hopped onto it. They bowed to a non-existent crowd, spending a split second to wave and blow kisses in the air. Then, they leaned over the creature, stabbing both daggers into its back before using them as a platform to somersault over them. They couldn’t be more proud of their own work. </p><p>Meanwhile, Angello had managed to untangle himself from the deer-plant’s vines. He was back in the air, fumbling to put another bolt into his crossbow. Finn was now getting impatient. They whirled around to grab a dagger, quickly nabbed one, and launched it at the deer-plant. At the same time, Angello shot his bolt. The knife sliced into the deer-plant’s neck, toppling it just enough for Angello’s bolt to puncture its head.</p><p>Both kids whooped in jubilation. </p><p>“Took you long enough,” Finn gloated. Angello floated down to meet his friend.</p><p>“I got a little backed up. Can you blame me?”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“Rude.” </p><p>Finn shrugged. They kicked the limp pile of vines at their feet. Once they “died”, the sentient plant creatures reverted back into normal plants. That’s why Willow didn’t want Angello to use fire. If they burned, they couldn’t be returned to the earth. Speaking of Willow, the flower princess emerged from the shelter of the trees. </p><p>“That was.. Interesting,” she said hesitantly. It occurred to Finn that she was most likely watching through the eyes of her creatures. No matter. They knew they were awesome. Finn proudly swung one of their daggers over their shoulders.</p><p>“It was fun! Angello’s lucky I was here to save his butt,” they teased.</p><p>Angello rolled his eyes. “If I say thank you, will you be quiet?”</p><p>“I’ll think about it.” </p><p>Willow quietly bent down to the vines and inspected them. Small flowers bloomed over the severed ends of any damaged vines. She smiled and rose quietly. “So is that it for today? We should probably get home before anyone figures out where we are and-”</p><p>“No way!” Finn cut her off. “We’re just getting started. We should go another round.”</p><p>“Willow’s right,” Angello interjected. “We did good here. We’ll come back another time.”</p><p>Finn desperately glanced between Angello and Willow, looking for any sympathy. They didn’t want to be done yet. “Come on, just because you got your butt kicked doesn’t mean the fun has to end. Besides, I’ll be there to pick up the slack.” </p><p>Angello’s face fell. His lips curled inward into an unsatisfied frown. Finn’s tail stopped moving. They weren’t used to this look from Angello. Was it.. Anger? He didn’t anger easily like Finn did. In fact, the last time they even saw Angello truly angry was when he got frustrated with his parents about his crown. And that was three years ago. </p><p>“I don’t appreciate you talking down to me. What’s up with you?” </p><p>“What are you talking about?”</p><p>“This was <em> supposed </em>to be fun. But with you rubbing it in about how grateful I should be that you ‘saved’ me, it’s getting more annoying than anything.”</p><p>“I’m just joking around. I didn’t mean for it to come off that way,” Finn tried defending themself.</p><p>“Okay? Well it did,” Angello spat. “You don’t need to gloat about how great you are. We’re <em> kids. </em> You’re <em> fourteen </em>. We’re not supposed to be perfect at anything yet.”</p><p>“Oh, so because I’m younger than you, I’m expected to be worse at everything?”</p><p>“That’s not what I meant! Don’t twist my words like that.”</p><p>Willow awkwardly shifted weight from one foot to another. She didn’t like angry confrontations. It made for unwanted negative vibes. Whenever she was feeling frustrated, she’d meditate and ponder over the subject until she found a positive solution. However, she doubted her friends would engage in that. Especially Finn. </p><p>“Uh, should I leave? I don’t want to interrupt or anything- you seem like you’re working something out,” Willow squeezed her hands together nervously. “I’ll just go back..”</p><p>Angello put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “No, it’s okay. Don’t go. This isn’t your fault,” he turned to face Finn. “If anything, I’ll leave since <em> someone </em>doesn’t want to admit they’re being stubborn.”</p><p>Finn scowled. “What do you want me to do? Praise you for everything you do? I’m not your parents.”</p><p>“That’s not what I..Ugh!” Angello muffled a scream. “You know what? Never mind. You do whatever you want. I’m done.” </p><p>“You can’t just run off!!”</p><p>“Watch me.”</p><p>Per Angello’s words, Finn did indeed watch the prince bounce off back to the castle. Finn grabbed their head and yelled out in frustration. It wasn’t supposed to go like this. They didn’t intend to upset Angello. Sure, maybe show off a little, but he was supposed to be impressed! The feline angrily whirled around, balling up a fist and punching the nearest tree. They never even got to hit it.</p><p>A soft palm interrupted their path. Willow’s hand prevented Finn from crushing their knuckles. She gently held their forearms and led them away from the trunk. Once they were a safe distance from anything Finn could hurt themselves on, Willow let the feline go. </p><p>“Sorry, I know you don’t like being touched without warning. I’m not saying you can’t be angry- It’s totally okay to express your feelings! We just have to find a healthy outlet, okay?” Willow rattled off.</p><p>Finn eyed the flower girl carefully. She was trying her best, even if Finn didn’t agree with her methods of tranquility. If she asked to meditate, they’d surely lose their mind. Sitting still wasn’t in Finn’s vocabulary. </p><p>Willow noticed Finn struggling. “Is there anything I can do to help?”</p><p>The feline lazily lolled their head back to stare at the sky. A good part of them wanted to be left alone. To just scream at Willow to go away and release the emotions bubbling in their stomach. But that wouldn’t help. Not to mention it’d probably bring her to tears. She was right, they did need an outlet. And really, Finn didn’t want to be by themselves. Not that they’d ever admit it. They shielded themselves too much to ask for help.</p><p>Once again, Willow the mind reader answered Finn’s question. “Maybe we can walk?” she tried suggesting. It was a compromise from meditating, Finn could tell. But it was not like they had any better suggestions, so it would have to do.</p><p>“Yeah,” the feline murmured. “Yeah,” they nodded slowly, lingering on an exaggerated head bob that lasted longer than any normal affirmation. “Just anywhere away from here,” Finn gestured to the various piles of “dead” plant creatures.</p><p>Willow cracked a smile, eager to help her friend anyway she could. She glanced around her, deciding on the best path to follow. If it were up to Willow, she’d choose a path that was the easiest to walk through. But this was Finn she was choosing for. They enjoyed adventuring. </p><p>Which is why, much to her displeasure, she turned her heel toward the direction with the most branches blocking their way. The flower princess watched as Finn’s eyebrows knit together in brief confusion. It seems that they weren’t expecting to go that way, either. However, as usual, the feline was never one to back down from a challenge. </p><p>Finn crouched on all fours and scrambled through the rough terrain.</p><p>-</p><p>Willow wasn’t exactly the best at directions. As a child, she’d aimlessly wander through flower fields for hours, not knowing how far she’d gone from home. It wasn’t unusual for the kingdom to go on a hunt to find the missing flower princess. They’d often find her asleep among the daisies. They were her favorite flowers.</p><p>Because of this, Willow had learned to leave a trail of brightly colored flowers in her wake as to not forget which way she came from. Unfortunately, due to the dense brush blocking her path, she was too focused on moving the plants to leave markers behind. While Finn could squeeze through the tight spaces, Willow resolved to using her powers. It was the only way she could keep up with the feline.</p><p>Finn was swinging through the branches with ease. Crawling and climbing through any obstacle. Their limber body was perfectly suited for this kind of terrain. Meanwhile, Willow struggled to keep up. She could only manipulate the flora so fast. It wasn’t long before the feline was well out of her sight. She wasn’t too concerned, not until she stopped hearing them.</p><p>Though out of sight, there was a constant sound of twig snapping from Finn’s movements. There was a slight <em> thud, </em>then eerie silence. Willow stopped moving, hoping that her own silence would prompt noise again. It didn’t.</p><p>Willow threw her hands forward, channeling all her magic to expel from her fingertips. The plants around her trembled. All of them suddenly curled backward, creating a tunnel for Willow to run through. She quickly hurried forward. It wasn’t too long of a stretch to Finn. They were facing away from her, peering up at something big.</p><p>“Finn? Are you okay? What hap-” the flower princess stopped talking. Finn wasn’t paying attention to her. Instead, they followed where Finn’s gaze was captured and gaped. It was <em> massive. </em>Looming several yards away, a giant crystalline spire erected in a field of other ancient relics casted a large shadow over the ground. The ground surrounding the tower was made of the same material; a shiny lacquered finish reflecting the sky. Metallic and crystal structures alike littered the ground around it. Every one of them was designed with silver veins that crawled up the sides to form a point at the top. </p><p>Though magnificent, the place was a mess. Overgrown vegetation had laid claim to much of the area. They stretched across all of the structures, covering them in thick underbrush. Some were aged horribly; crumbling at the sides and invaded by the aggressive plants. Others were too hard to tell with the covering vines. </p><p>Finn didn’t take their eyes off the crystal tower. “It’s the Crystal Castle,” they breathed, basking in the glory of the hidden gem hidden away in the forest.</p><p>Willow took a moment to process what Finn just said. “The Crystal Castle? You mean the one Auntie Adora trained at?” she asked for clarification. </p><p>“Yes!” Finn finally squealed with a gleam in their eyes. ‘Exactly the one.”</p><p>“I always pictured it to be more..” Willow cocked her head to one side. “Put together? I guess? I don’t know.”</p><p>Finn shrugged. Truthfully, they thought the same. Adora described it to be much more polished than what was standing before them. Then again, it had been left alone for twenty-some-odd-years, so it didn’t come as too much of a surprise. </p><p>“Willow,” Finn purred excitedly. “We <em> have </em>to go in there.”</p><p>“Are you sure? We should ask your moms first, I think,” Willow nervously clutched her scorpion tail. </p><p>“Don’t be a sissy! We’re already here, aren’t we? It’d be a bother to go all that way for permission just to come right back.” </p><p>“Maybe there’s a reason your mom didn’t want you to come here.”</p><p>“Yeah, she probably thought i’d have too much fun,” Finn shot back.</p><p>Willow’s shoulders drooped. There was no way to get out of this one. Once Finn’s mind was set on something, there was nothing that could change it. A small voice inside her echoed to turn back, but she couldn’t leave the feline alone. What if they got into trouble? </p><p>“Okay.. but be careful!” she shouted as Finn scrambled down toward the ancient ruins. The cluttered path they were walking through before was child's play compared to the overgrown plants around the Crystal Castle. Willow shuttered. Unlike most of the nature in the Whispering Woods, these plants emitted a much more devious, sinister aura. Not entirely harmful, but not good either. </p><p>Finn wasn’t paying attention. They were still barrelling head first to the shiny artifacts. Finn could probably scale the plethora of vines, but Willow wasn’t willing to take that chance. She quickly waved her fingers, summoning a large plant wall in front of the feline. Finn had to dig their claws in the dirt to stop in time so as to not hit it. They shot a nasty look over their shoulder to the flower princess.</p><p>“What was that for?” they complained. Willow breathed in deeply and motioned to the overgrowth.</p><p>“Look at it.”</p><p>“I’m looking.”</p><p>“Look <em> closer. </em>What do you see?”</p><p>“Am I looking at something specific or-?” Finn blinked, still not catching onto Willow’s words. The flower princess sighed in defeat. If she ever needed to be reminded of Finn’s heritage, their inability to read between the fine lines certainly cut clear. </p><p>“The vines, Finn. They’re not normal,” she said gently.</p><p>Willow could see the wheels turning in Finn’s head. They looked at the dull, husky brown branches that covered the Crystal Castle. Most, if not all, were completely thorn-written and jagged. Not a single green leaf sprouted on any of the bushes. Even at the edges, the plants around Finn’s feet looked decayed and frail. </p><p>Finn flattened their ears against their head. “So the plants are bad?” </p><p>Willow’s eyebrows knitted closely together. “I-I’m not completely sure. They’re definitely not going to kill us, but they’re not good, either.”</p><p>Finn nodded, staring longley back at the Crystal Castle. “Okay, we can avoid them. Why don’t you do your..” Finn trailed off, wiggling their fingers to simulate Willow’s magic.</p><p>Willow wanted to make Finn happy. She liked making people happy in general. However, she also knew that this happiness was found because of something that wasn’t very joyful. Because of this, before she went along with Finn’s plans, she wanted to make a deal.</p><p>“I’ll do it, but you have to do something for me first.”</p><p>That caught Finn off guard. Willow never, ever wanted to exchange deeds. She was the one who enjoyed doing things for people. Being met with such a proposition, Finn hesitated to bite. </p><p>“Name your price.”</p><p>“You need to talk to Angello.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Reconnecting</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Adora found them in the gardens. Her motherly instincts had led her there. It was something that formed inside her when Finn was brought into the world. An extra sense that allowed her to seek out her child during times of stress. Catra used to make fun of her for it. That was until she had a gut feeling to check up on Finn during the night as a baby and found the child had escaped the cradle, attempting to crawl off the balcony. Her wife didn’t tease her after that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Currently, Finn wasn’t in any danger as they paced back and forth across the grass. To the untrained eye, one would assume the feline was merely lost in thought. Adora could tell something troubled them. She watched as Finn stopped in their tracks, bringing their hands to rake through their hair with a half hearted shout of frustration. She yearned to tend to them. Every fiber in her being screamed for her to run over to Finn and wrap them in her embrace. It pained her to see them upset, but she knew that affection would only exacerbate the internal conflict within them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That was one preference Finn developed that Adora never understood. Since birth, Catra and Adora gave Finn every type of physical, verbal, and emotional affirmations they could ever need. Bow and Glimmer did the same with Angello. He became a fine boy who enjoyed warm hugs. But Finn? They enjoyed it initially. They demanded lots of touch well into toddlerhood. And yet, as they got older, Adora noticed how Finn slowly shied away from that kind of affection. It was confirmed when they were eight.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra went to hug Finn goodnight and Finn hissed at her. They refused to be held. Finn didn’t want anyone to lay a finger on them. Adora couldn’t figure out why. They were normal in every other aspect; they laughed and played and smiled like everyone else. Finn just didn’t want anything to do with physical intimacy. And they continued on like that for years. Catra and Adora respected their space, and when Finn was more mature, the family had a discussion on boundaries. It was a long journey to build up trust again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nowadays, Finn tolerated quick hugs or brief touches. They viewed vulnerability as their enemy. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora smiled sadly. Finn reminded her so much of Catra. Back in their younger years, Catra would also try to appear impenetrable. Knowing this, she held back her overprotective urges to smother them and tried a gentler approach.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Finn?” she said softly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The feline tensed up at her call. They shot an uncertain glance toward their mother and flicked their tail cautiously. Adora took a few brave steps forward. “Can I join you?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Two icy pools met her gaze. So many emotions swirled within them. Anger, sadness, pain, guilt. Adora sucked in a breath. For a brief moment, she was convinced she’d be turned around. It wasn’t unlike them to push everyone away when frustrated. Another one of their habits she hated to respect.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Luckily, Etheria’s warrior was spared from teenage angst as her child suddenly plopped to the ground, jerking their head to the side as an invitation to sit. Adora gathered up the hems of her dress, smoothing them underneath her as she settled in the grass. As she sat, some peculiar markings disturbing the neatness of the lawn caught her attention. Torn patches of greenery and randomly punctured holes were carelessly engraved in the ground. Long streaks of claw marks etched in the dirt further indicated Finn as the culprit. Adora traced the grooves with her fingers. She was glad to feel that the soil was soft.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn shifted beside her. The feline brought one knee to their chest, using it as a base to rest their arm on. They propped their chin into the palm of one hand while the other began absentmindedly drawing shapes in the dirt. Adora observed Finn stretch a vague outline of a person.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So am I in trouble or what?” the cat child mumbled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What? Oh, Finn. No, you’re not in any trouble. I just- I saw you out here and thought you might use some company.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was no acknowledgement from the feline. They focused on their small drawing, detailing their tiny dirt person coming to life. Adora was somewhat impressed with the sketch, not remembering Finn to be such an artist. In fact, she didn’t realize she’d begun drawing one of her own until she heard Finn snicker to themselves. The stick figure didn’t compare to the feline’s more elaborate drawing. Adora accepted defeat and wiped hers clear.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>One quality both Adora and Finn shared was their horrible ability to start meaningful conversations. Pep talks maybe, but Adora and Catra didn’t learn much about how to console those dealing with discomfort in the Horde. All of that was learned from their friends in Brightmoon. Still, even with years of emotional growth and development, it never came naturally to Adora. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> The former Horde soldier resorted to observing Finn before deciding on a plan of action. She noticed the little lines Finn was scribbling was becoming a clearer picture. Adora recognized the person as a familiar curly haired prince. That itself wasn’t unusual, although the dark expression contorted on the prince’s face was unexpected. That child was always smiling. Adora hesitated, wondering how to approach this delicately. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I saw Angello come from the woods today,” Adora commented without any apparent emotion lacing her voice. She wanted to remain neutral. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn flinched, accidentally dragging a line through their drawing. They glared at the ruined picture of Angello and turned away from their mother. “Yeah?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He looked upset.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can’t imagine why.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Finn, did you have an argument with Angello?” Adora said as gently as she could. She didn’t want to sound accusatory. The question was an assumption, not to mention she didn’t know any details of the supposed confrontation to begin with. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe,” Finn started. “He’s making a big deal out of it,” they huffed, falling on their back to stare up at the sky.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe to Angello it </span>
  <em>
    <span>is </span>
  </em>
  <span>a big deal. Sometimes people can interpret situations differently than you.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn groaned. “Does that mean I have to apologize?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well.. yes.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But I barely did anything!” Finn protested.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora licked her lips. It was difficult not knowing what exactly happened to cause this outburst. She longed to press for details, though it wasn’t her place to pressure them. Still, she needed to make the most out of what she had to make Finn feel better.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That doesn’t mean Angello sees it that way. You may say something that sounds right to you, but to others, it can come off wrong.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn’s tail ran over the tips of the grass. “It sounds like you have experience with stuff like this.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora smiled and playfully tapped Finn on the nose. “I’m your mother. I’ve seen and done a thing or two before you came along.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The cat child wrinkled their nose from the unsuspected boop. It didn’t help to see their mother with a giddy face. With another puff of air, Finn rose to sit cross legged. This talk wasn’t what they were expecting out of Adora, though it wasn’t unwelcomed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you and Aunt Glimmer fight a lot?” they queried. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not anymore,” Adora answered. “Though I’m sure you’ve heard plenty of stories from our younger days.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What did you fight about?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That was a complex question. She and Glimmer fought about many things in their youth. It was understandable, now that she looked back on it. The stress from the war caused many mishaps. Some were valid arguments that Adora could somewhat identify with, and others were wrongdoings influenced by other factors. Thankfully, most, if not all, past grudges had been resolved since they’d reached adulthood. Maturity helped with that. Adora paused as memories flashed before her eyes. One in particular stood out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“As you know, your Aunt Glimmer lost her mom during the war,” Adora started. Finn’s ears swiveled intently. They knew a story was coming.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Becoming the queen was.. Difficult to say the least. She couldn’t properly grieve and projected those emotions onto us. We couldn’t provide the support she wanted, so she turned to another to guide her. More specifically, Shadow Weaver.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora paused again, letting the memories wash over her. Going over each encounter of Shadow Weaver in her mind. Remembering each touch, each outburst, each reprimand. Watching her life unfold before her like a movie. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Her</span>
  </em>
  <span> name alone left a bitter taste as it rolled off her tongue. Adora took a deep breath, allowing her trauma to flow by.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Thankfully, those memories don’t hurt like they used to. Years of therapy and healing taught her to accept and move past those dreadful moments. Nowadays, she rarely had outbursts. With Catra and her friends by her side, she didn’t have any need to dwell on the past. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We were running into ambush after ambush. It was brought up that the Horde might be able to track She-ra. Because of this, Shadow Weaver and Glimmer decided that they would use me as bait to finally have a victory.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn was looking at her curiously. They knew a lot about their mothers. They were the saviors of the universe! Of course everyone, including them, would talk about their past. And yet, every once in a while, there were still some details they hadn’t heard before. Each time, Finn was eager to listen.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“To Glimmer, she was just trying to do the right thing for the Rebellion. Making me a target was an understandable strategic move. Now think about how that sounds outside of the war room.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s very...devious?” Finn said quietly, trying that word their auncle mention before. Adora had a strange, confused smile. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure, you could say that. I wasn’t very happy with it. More angry, really. I couldn’t believe my best friend could betray my trust like that. I felt used.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But I didn’t use Angello,” Finn narrowed their eyes at Adora. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not saying you did. I’m showing you how one decision or action can be perceived differently. Glimmer was trying to do the right thing for the Rebellion. However, that didn’t change that it was hurtful to me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn stared at their hands. They hated feeling so guilty about teasing Angello. It frustrated them. The guilt that came from hiding their adventures from Catra and Adora didn’t compare. Something that twisted their stomach in a way that made them nauseous. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Fear. I’m afraid. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn could never truly lose their parents. Even with the bumps in their relationship, Catra and Adora would always be there for their child. Friendships were different. Finn could </span>
  <em>
    <span>lose </span>
  </em>
  <span>Angello. The very thought of it was debilitating. There was never a time Finn wasn’t with the prince in some shape or form. Stars, he was even there at Finn’s birth. It was always Finn and Angello. Angello and Finn. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora, ever the doting mother, reached out to cup Finn’s cheek. The feline tensed at the touch, though they didn’t reject the gesture. If she couldn’t embrace her child, she would still try her hardest to give them any sort of physical reassurance they would tolerate. Her thumb tenderly rubbed the soft fur on their face. A slight purr briefly escaped the feline’s body.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That doesn’t mean you can’t fix it. It may not be today. Maybe not tomorrow. But you can and </span>
  <em>
    <span>will </span>
  </em>
  <span>be able to reconnect with Angello. He needs you just as much as you need him.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora’s words genuinely comforted Finn. Their growing purr took the place of any words they could say.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You don’t have to do it now. You can wait bef-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No,” Finn cut her off. They moved their head to remove her hand from their cheek. Adora blinked several times as the feline suddenly stood. “I want to do it now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The former soldier didn’t bother standing. She knew her work was done.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m so proud of you,” she smiled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know, momma.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Apologizing seemed a lot easier in Finn’s head. Now, standing in front of the prince’s door, anxiety ate at their thoughts. The feline was paralized with one hand raised to knock. Is he even in there? They’d never know if they never tried.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn knocked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Angello?” Finn choked out. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No answer. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I swear that boy needs to be more aware of his surroundings. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Finn turned around and leaned against the door, slowly sliding down to the ground. If they really wanted to, they could bust the door open and force a conversation. Though they weren’t sure if that really screamed ‘please accept my apology’. Instead, Finn stared blankly at the murals down the hallway. Even alone, they felt the eyes watching them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Angello..” Finn hesitated. “I’m sorry.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>More silence. If he wasn’t here, there was no point in talking. But as Finn uttered the two magic words, a weight was lifted from their chest. Saying it aloud gave them a little sense of relief. Against normal logic, Finn continued.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, okay?” Finn picked back up their apology. “I didn’t mean to be mean. I just felt- I dunno. Smaller? You and Willow have magic and that's great. I’m happy that you have that. I just thought that if you had all the magic, I’d be the one with all the regular fighting skills. And then I saw you with that crossbow that you made </span>
  <em>
    <span>yourself..</span>
  </em>
  <span> I was jealous, okay? I wanted to be a weapons master all by myself. It was the one thing I had that you didn’t.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn took another deep breath. The next part was the hardest.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It wasn’t right for me to be angry at you. You didn’t deserve that. I shouldn’t make you feel bad just because I am. So yeah, I’m sorry, Angello.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Behind Finn, the door clicked. The feline yelped and fell on their back as the door suddenly swung inward. Teary lavender eyes met those of Finn. The prince blinked away any sadness as confusion set in, seeing that his friend was prone on the ground.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh stars, I didn’t-” he reached down to help.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s fine,” Finn mumbled back, refusing the offer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn slowly got back to their feet, facing Angello at eye level. The feline took time to notice the prince’s purple silk pajamas. Angello’s comfort clothes. Finn stared at their toes trying to ignore the guilt washing over them again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Finn,” Angello broke the silence first.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The feline braced themself, waiting for Angello’s words to cut them like a knife.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can you forgive me?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What??” Finn’s mouth dropped. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Surely this must be a joke?</span>
  </em>
  <span> It wasn’t. The prince was completely earnest. In fact, he looked almost as awkward and unsure as Finn was. He wrapped his arms around himself and cracked an unsure smile. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I said can you forg-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No! You can't apologize to me. I’m supposed to be apologizing to you!” Finn interrupted. The feline was thoroughly confused. Angello’s smile died down.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why didn’t you tell me that you felt inadequate? I wasn’t trying to best you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know!” Finn said a little too loud. They flattened their ears and got quieter. “I know, okay? You’re just naturally so good at everything you do. That’s not your fault. You said it yourself, I’m being childish.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What are you talking about?” Angello countered, stepping closer to Finn. “You’re the coolest person I know. I’m trying to be </span>
  <em>
    <span>more </span>
  </em>
  <span>like you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This time, Finn didn’t have an answer. Everything was too confusing to respond like a normal being. Their mouth opened and closed several times, trying to find any words to retaliate. There were none.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re carefree and take life by the horns. You go on awesome adventures with your auncle. I-I envied you. I’m always stuck here so much with my duties. Seeing you so excited and passionate.. It made me want to emulate that,” Angello blushed, rubbing the back of his head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Emulate me? But I’m the one always trying to compare to you. It’s not easy when your best friend is the ‘perfect price of Brightmoon’.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Who calls me that?” Angello said, surprised.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh, like everyone? Mr. Model Prince, sir.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That got Angello to chuckle. The pressure in Finn’s chest lessened by the sound of his laughter. This was what they were looking for. Redemption. A sign that he wasn’t upset with them. Finn wanted to smile, though they still weren’t sure if they were out of the red yet. Was it supposed to be this easy? Angello didn’t even look that angry. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So let me get this straight,” Finn said after Angello’s giggles subsided. “We’re both sorry because we both tried to show off to each other since we apparently think the other is cooler?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That sounds about right, yes.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you </span>
  <em>
    <span>sure </span>
  </em>
  <span>you’re not angry?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not anymore. I was a little upset that you tried putting me down, but I had some time to cool off and think. It was a stupid argument, you came here to make up for it, and I admitted my vices, too. It’s all good.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn was still unsure. Their tail loosely curled around the base of their leg. “So you’re not mad at me or..?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angello offered a soft smile. He reached his hand out to Finn. “Truce?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The feline stared at the outstretched hand. There was no misdiagnosing this. He wanted to reconcile. All of this worrying, all of the stress, it wasn’t needed anymore. They were going to be okay.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Truce,” Finn answered, shaking his hand firmly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not going anywhere,” the prince said quietly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn perked a playful brow. “That’s funny because I’m about to take you somewhere.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. The Crystal Castle</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“How do you </span>
  <em>
    <span>find</span>
  </em>
  <span> these places?” Angello questioned, eyes glued to the gleaming tower standing before him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“To be fair,” Finn said, appearing at his side. “Willow was the one who really found it. I just saw it first.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angello whistled in admiration. The Crystal Castle looked like a shining beacon as the sunlight reflected off the polished tower. Sure, it was covered by climbing vines and cracked in several places, but it was impressive nonetheless. Initially, Angello was skeptical with his friend's claims. Now seeing it with his own eyes, he took back every doubt.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It wasn’t on purpose,” Willow protested, taking her place to flank Angello. “Finn was upset with you and I know they didn’t want to meditate so I had to think of another way to calm their nerves and thought that walking might help them and-” the flower princess ran out of breath. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn and Angello shared a look with a smile. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, don’t worry about it. Do you see how pumped Finn is about this place?” the prince stepped back to reveal a very excited feline. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah! The only thing you should be worrying about is getting those pesky plants out of the way,” Finn chirped.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What? Oh, r-right!” Willow stammered. It was the reason they brought her, after all. True to her word, when Finn reconciled with Angello, she agreed to come back and attempt to move the angry flora off the Crystal Castle. Now being the following morning, the three were standing at the edge of the clearing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Willow cleared her mind as she took a few steps forward. In preparation for such a large use of magic, she had gotten up early in the morning to meditate. The better working mindset she had, the easier the process would be. She needed to feel the power of nature coursing through her veins. Listening to the whispers of the plant life around her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The flower princess knelt down on one knee, hunching over to place both palms on the hard ground. She closed her eyes and dug her fingertips into the earth. Angello and Finn remained silent as green wisps of magic energy emerged from beneath her, swirling around the girl like dancing serpents. Willow exhaled sharply as she gathered up the energy around her and pushed her magical abilities into the ground. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She felt her magic pulse underground, washing over the buried roots. Angello grabbed onto Finn for support as the floor began shaking. Roots burst out of the ground, arching in the sky. Willow grit her teeth, not expecting resistance from the dark plant life. With another grunt of exertion, she forcefully drowned out any defiance from the vines, compelling them to bend to her will.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The vines covering the ruins slowly slithered off every structure, adding to the growing arches suspended in the air. After several painstakingly slow minutes, The Crystal Castle was finally clear. Willow switched her concentration from vine removal to vine replacement. She slammed her hands back on the ground again, commanding the plants to retreat back to where they came from. Thankfully, it took only seconds. All of the vines sunk into the ground without a trace. Willow did it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn hollered a shout of victory. Angello cheered with them. Willow was too spent to stand yet, requiring Angello’s assistance to get to her feet.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That was </span>
  <em>
    <span>amazing!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” the cat child beamed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Willow gripped Angello’s shoulder, trying to regain her balance. “You think?” she said sheepishly. A light rose tint came upon her cheeks.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh yeah,” Angello added. “I’d say some of your more impressive work.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Th-thank you,” Willow managed to say.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn was done waiting. They took off in a feverish sprint, drooling over all of the ancient structures. Angello and Willow shared a laugh as Finn went, carefully following them at a steady pace. By the time the three of them were standing at the entrance of the Crystal Castle, Willow was able to stand on her own again. While removing the vines didn’t drain all of her magic, the expensive outburst temporarily winded her. Angello was still close by, worried for his friend. Finn was too focused on the tower in front of them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So..” Willow blinked. “How do we get in?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I remember my dad saying something about a password,” Angello inspected the large door. It was a layered metal panel with various symbols etched on the surface. “This is First One’s writing! I can’t read it, though. I never bothered getting into that stuff.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn, with a smug look on their face, stepped up to the plate. “Allow me.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Technically speaking, Finn was never formally taught how to read First One’s writing. There was no need to learn since the only First One’s writing around were from old artifacts. However, there was a brief moment in time when Angello’s grandfathers asked Adora to translate some new tablets they found. Finn was only ten at the time. They were looking for Catra for a rematch (for they had horribly lost to her in a wrestling match the day before), and stumbled across the translations in her room.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora was impossibly neat. Other than her perfect penmanship, all of her papers were numbered, categorized, and filed by date. It practically called for Finn to read them. It wasn’t very difficult. Within a few weeks, Finn could easily do the translations in their head. Unfortunately, once the papers were given to Angello’s grandfathers, Finn didn’t have any material to keep their fluency. Now, staring at the Crystal Castle, Finn hoped they still remembered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lets see. Something with an E. Etheria? No,” Finn muttered to themself. They squinted at the writing and formulated possible words in their head. “Is it.. Eternia?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That seemed to do it. The door started to glow. All of the carvings dipped in a magical essence that flowed through the lines. The panels retreated into the walls and a large opening was revealed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> “I’m convinced that the First One’s liked fancy looking stuff,” Angello peered inside the Crystal Castle.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Says the prince of Brightmoon,” Finn snorted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Last I checked, your mom was a princess, too,” Angello countered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know what you’re getting all upset about. We’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>all </span>
  </em>
  <span>royalty,” Willow stated.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn stuck their tongue out at Angello. He elbowed them in the gut. “Hear that, </span>
  <em>
    <span>kitten</span>
  </em>
  <span>? You’re royalty,” the prince hummed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey!” Finn scowled. “You can’t call me that!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Willow gasped. “Kitten? Oh, that’s so cute!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not you, too,” the feline groaned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Willow only continued to coo over the adorable nickname. Angello wasn’t helping by encouraging her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not putting up with this,” Finn mumbled, entering the Crystal Castle.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey! Wait up! You can’t just ditch us,” Angello complained, grabbing Willow’s hand and chasing after his friend.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Watch me,” the cat child teased.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The trio erupted in jokes and laughter as they trotted inside. They didn’t get very far before their sight was interrupted. There were no light sources to speak of, and once the door behind them shut, the three were left in utter darkness. Finn yelped as they felt a hand land on their back. Apparently, whatever touched them felt the same. Willow's fearful screech was almost as high pitched as theirs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah! Oh, gosh, Finn? I’m so sorry! I didn’t see you. I can’t see anything.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The feline felt around for Willow’s hand and latched onto her wrist. “Angello? Some light if you wouldn’t mind?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was some shuffling several yards away and a quiet </span>
  <em>
    <span>oof </span>
  </em>
  <span>prompted by what Finn assumed was a run in with a wall. “Yeah, hold on. Give me a second,” the prince’s voice called out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn, impatient as ever, began guiding Willow toward the sound of Angello’s voice. They were thankful that the complete darkness masked their embarrassing arm waving. If anything was in their path, Finn was determined to avoid it. Much to their relief, it wasn’t too long before a ball of sparkles illuminated the room. Angello somehow had stumbled into a pillar across the room, which he was holding onto with one arm. The other was slightly outstretched with a glowing ball of magic accumulating in his palm.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As Finn and Willow joined him, he lifted his hand upward, tossing the ball of light to the ceiling, where it burst. A purple light settled in the room, casting the darkness away. The three friends finally got a good look at their surroundings. There wasn’t too much to gawk at. They were at the beginning of a long hallway lined with crystals and broken pillars. Unsurprisingly, the ceiling was no less than a hundred feet high. Almost out of Angello’s jump reach.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Being that there was only one way to go, Finn took the lead by starting off down the hallway. Angello was second, trailing quick on their heels. Willow took her time, leaving some space between the two of them as her eyes wandered over the intricate interior. She was mesmerized by the ancient building. They were walking in the footsteps of the First One’s. She shivered with a slight thrill.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Meanwhile, Finn was ecstatic. They could feel the adrenaline pumping through their veins. No mission with Double Trouble compared. Here they were, in the same place their mother trained to become the hero of Etheria. Who knew how many secrets they could find. Adora rarely mentioned her time at the Crystal Castle. Finn knew that Glimmer, Bow, and Adora stumbled upon it when they first met.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Light Hope, the First One’s sentient program to guide She-ra, trained her until Adora realized the true sinister intentions behind the program. Glimmer tried conversing with Light Hope when she was at a rocky point with Adora, but ultimately figured out she was bad too. Apparently, Adora had ‘disabled’ her, whatever that meant. Other than those small details, Finn didn’t know too much else about the place.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The hallway was surprisingly long for a tower that didn’t seem too wide in length. From the outside, Finn swore it couldn’t have been more than a few dozen meters long. And yet, it was only after a solid five minutes of walking did they finally come across an archway revealing a large room on the other side.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was a circular room with no noticeable differences from the rest of the interior design other than a large mural of She-ra on the farthest wall. The Princess of Power was holding the Sword of Protection with the tip touching the ground. Behind it, a multicolored background vibrantly decorated the wall. While Finn studied the mural, Angello’s eyes fell to symbols beneath the picture.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, look. There’s more First One’s writing.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s it say?” Willow inquired.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn squinted at the writing. “Oh! This one’s easy. It says She-ra.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Their words echoed throughout the crystal room. White light began glowing from the mural, which spread to coat the floor with an iridescent pinkish hue. Thin lines crawled from the depiction of She-ra, running up the walls. In the center of the room, a blurred, fritzy hologram popped into existence. The (woman?) hologram holding a diamond plate spent a few seconds wavering and speaking unintelligible gibberish. The trio surrounded the foreign recording until it finally settled down.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Warning. Planet facilitator Light Hope is currently unavailable at this time. Manual administrator access is not recommended,” the robotic voice remarked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wait, this isn’t Light Hope? Aunt Adora </span>
  <em>
    <span>did </span>
  </em>
  <span>say she was a hologram,” Willow scratched her head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Apparently not,” Angello crossed his arms. He looked over to Finn who was gazing intently at the moving light. “Your mom say anything about this?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The feline snapped back to reality. They glanced between the two and then back at the hologram. “Uh, maybe we should ask it?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You want to ask this random mysterious hologram that’s been here for decades a question?” Angello said, unimpressed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It couldn’t hurt to try,” Finn shrugged. They waved at Willow to come closer. “Here, Willow. Go ask the thing a question.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The flower princess looked like a deer caught in lantern light. “W-why me?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Cause’ you’re the closest.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But you just asked me to come closer!” Willow whined.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Exactly,” Finn smiled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Willow hung her head in defeat. It seemed like she always was at the mercy of Finn’s shenanigans. She cautiously shuffled to face the hologram and gulped. If it was solid, it wouldn’t be nearly as scary as the shifting image constantly out of focus. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“H-hi. I’m Willow,” she said nervously. The hologram didn’t answer. “M-me and my friends were wondering if you could tell us who you are?” her voice trembled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Query not recognized,” the robot voice answered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well that’s not very helpful,” Angello blinked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What now?” Willow looked back at Finn. The feline’s tail slowly wavered behind them in thought.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I dunno. Maybe this thing is too old to work anymore,” they narrowed their eyes at the hologram and began circling it. “I swear if it’s broken I’m going to be so-” Finn swatted at the blinking light. Their hand went straight through the hologram. Almost immediately, the hologram stopped fritzing and turned into a bright shade of red.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Administrator not recognized. Security protocol activated.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oops,” Finn’s fur stood on end as they started backing up. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The rest of the castle illuminated in the same red hue, washing over the entire room. The hologram flickered again and disappeared, leaving the three alone. Much to everyone's horror, hundreds of tiny green dots popped into existence along the ceiling and walls. As they descended, it was clear that they belonged to dozens of giant spiders. Angello instantly unclasped the crossbow hanging on his back and pointed it at one the spiders.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did you ever feel the need to mention that this castle has a </span>
  <em>
    <span>defence mechanism</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” Angello panicked. Finn followed his lead by drawing their blades.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If I knew I wouldn’t have aggravated it!” they shouted back. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angello fired one of his bolts at a spider on the ceiling. A high pitch screech pierced the air as it dropped onto the floor, dead. Soon after, Finn leapt forward to launch a knife at the closest arachnid. The two entered a surprisingly well coordinated flurry of attacks. Angello managed to form a fire spell and lit half the room ablaze. While he handled those still struggling from the flames, Finn took those outside of the fire’s range, tearing into them with their blades.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Meanwhile, Willow stood in the center of the chaos, too frightened to move. The logical side of her knew that she should probably be helping her friends defeat the spiders, but she had never actually fought anything before! Of course she made vine monsters for Finn and Angello to train with, and she had watched many warriors spar on the practice field, although none of it actually included her participating with them. She considered herself a pacifist (for the most part). Almost all problems she had encountered so far could be solved with a non-violent solution. But now… now..</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hearing Angello’s cries snapped her out of her spiraling thoughts. The prince had been ensnared with multiple spider webs in the air and was now being slowly pulled to the ground. Seeing this happen, Finn quickly spun around, hurling a dagger at the end of the web, severing it from the arachnids control. Unfortunately, that left them vulnerable. One of the spiders dropped from the ceiling, crushing Finn under its weight. The feline wailed in pain as it sunk its fangs into their shoulder.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Willow!” Angello managed to gasp as he broke the web bonds. “You need to help Finn!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> She squeezed her hands together anxiously. “I-I don’t know if I can..”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, you can!” Angello threw a sparkle bomb to her left, blowing up a few spiders that were approaching the princess. “They need you! Please, Willow. We can’t do this without you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Willow glanced back at Finn. They were out from under the spider that knocked them down, but were favoring their right shoulder as they slashed the arachnids with their opposing arm. Angello was struggling himself as he desperately danced out of the spiders reach. Willow tried taking a calming breath. It was interrupted by the chattering of insectoid mandibles approaching her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>One of the spiders instinctively launched forward, fangs bared. Willow covered her face with her hands and screamed. And screamed. And… screamed? Nothing touched her. She experimentally cracked open one eye. The aggressive spider lay on the ground, twitching and prone. Her scorpion tail was curling upward, still dripping a green toxin from the tip. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, stars! I didn’t mean to-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Stop apologizing to the things trying to kill us and DO SOMETHING,” Finn yelled over their shoulder. They raised both daggers in an X formation over their chest as one of the spiders rammed into them. The force pushed them into a large web which trapped the feline. Angello, seeing this happen, tried setting off another sparkle bomb to distract the arachnids. He leapt into the air, forming the ball of magic in his hands. He never got to use it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Three spiders crawled up the walls, all jumping from the crystalline structures to pounce on the prince. Angello was instantly overpowered, crashing to the ground from the weight. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Angello!” Willow cried, darting forward. A wall of spiders blocked her path. She spun in a circle, looking for any way out. Only hundreds of tiny green orbs met her gaze. She was trapped. Cornered. Surrounded. Angello was thrashing under a pile of spiders. Finn was struggling in a web. Willow was on her own. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The flower princess felt her vision getting blurred as hot tears poured from her eyes. She shakily reached behind her ear, grabbing the small budding rose that rested in her milky hair.  Other than being a pretty flower, the plant did serve as a last resort in an emergency. Willow tilted her cheek so a tear could fall onto the fuchsia petals. Then, with a sniff, she raised the flower above her head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry!” the princess shouted, condensing all of her power into the small rose. The flower ballooned into the size of a horse, growing long, thorny vines streaming from the stem. Dozens of tendrils slammed into the spiders, crushing, smashing, and piercing. One of the vines cut Finn loose from the web, letting them drop on a softer flower bud. All of the spiders covering Angello were decapitated instantly as the vines slashed through the air, killing anything on impact. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Willow screamed as she directed her plant towards the hordes of spiders still standing. She could feel the ends of her shortly cropped hair wave with the magical drift swirling around her. Pulses of green energy radiated from her like a steady heartbeat. The writhing mass of plant vines thrashed around the room, somehow avoiding her friends while still destroying the enemy by the masses. Even with what felt like hundreds crushed beneath her living plant weapon, there still seemed to be a steady stream of spiders coming from all around them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The flower princess was so engrossed with defeating all of the spiders, she didn’t realize her friends had returned to her side. Angello grabbed her wrist and tugged.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Willow, we have to go! They’re not stopping!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But the entrance we came through is closed,” Finn worried, gesturing to the long hallway that was littered with arachnids.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The prince frantically looked around the room. “There!” he pointed to a small archway shaped like a diamond. Only a few spiders were guarding the entrance. Angello loaded a bolt into his crossbow. “We have to move!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn and Angello took care of the arachnids by the doorway as Willow followed with her giant plant. Angello reached it first, stumbling through the opening. Finn was hot on his heels, charging with the blades extended before them, stabbing through the spiders. Finally, Willow joined them, using her last bits of energy as the plant mass blocked the entryway, cutting them off from the rest of the Crystal Castle.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Learning To Trust</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Just let me look at it!” Angello huffed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn hissed at the prince from the corner. Angello sighed and fell back on his heels. “Don’t hiss at me! I’m </span>
  <em>
    <span>trying </span>
  </em>
  <span>to help you. Let me see how bad it is.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m fine!” the feline protested. Seeing that they were all safe once Willow closed the entryway, the trio collapsed inside the small hallway. Willow was exhausted but otherwise untouched. Angello didn’t sustain any intrusive injuries, although the dull pain in his chest indicated a forming bruise. He suspected a fracture and wanted to address himself, however Finn’s more noticeable wound was more pressing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The feline was holding their right shoulder which held two small puncture wounds from a spider bite. Fresh blood still leaked from the opening. Their fur prevented Angello from seeing the severity of it, and with Finn not cooperating, he was getting a bit frustrated. They’d been going back and forth for awhile now. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If we don’t do anything, it can get infected,” Angello tried reasoning.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can live with that,” Finn snorted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You won’t be happy about it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And I don’t want to listen to all of your complaining when it gets all nasty and inflamed,” Angello pointed out as Finn continued to pout. “Don’t give me that look! You do that every time you try to ignore something serious. We’re not doing that today, so show me your shoulder.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angello’s tone was firm and assertive. His lavender eyes tore into Finn with a single annoyed glare. He would tolerate many of the feline’s antics, but safety wasn’t one of them. In fact, Angello was the one who would always sneak Finn medicine when they got sick or hurt as kids. Otherwise, Finn would go days without treatment because they were too stubborn to admit they needed anything. They hated being smothered. Something their moms, more specifically, Adora, was known for.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The faster we take care of this, the faster I’ll leave you alone.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn ran their fingers over the wound. Their digits came back bloody. Each shift in movement caused a twang of pain on one side of their body. Angello watched without any commentary. He was determined, though he’d never prod Finn without permission.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fine,” the feline mumbled. “Just.. don’t touch it too much.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angello nodded, leaning over Finn and carefully parting the fur to give himself better access. Thankfully, the two bite wounds were relatively clean cut without jagged tearing. No major arteries hit. The prince felt a little better knowing Finn would be okay. That is, if it healed up properly. The real challenge was treating it without any medical supplies. Angello stood up to shed his vest.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What are you doing?” Finn immediately tensed up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m going to wrap it with my vest so it’s not exposed,” Angello replied thoughtfully, folding his vest to make a makeshift sling.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I didn’t say you could do that!” Finn sputtered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angello narrowed his eyes. “Alright, then. I’ll just get Willow over here so she can wrap it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I didn’t say that, either,” the feline said, a little quieter. Angello wasn’t listening. He was already retrieving Willow, who was recharging a few paces away. Unlike Angello’s recharger which gave off white light, Willow’s was green with earthy undertones. Additionally, instead of laying down and resting, the princess opted to meditate. Something about recomposing magic and mind. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angello cleared his throat to get her attention, knowing that shaking her back to reality would throw her off  her “groove” or whatever she called it. The princess slowly blinked, peering up at the boy. Finn didn’t hear what was exchanged. They only saw Angello pointing at them and handing Willow his vest. She took his hand to stand, and the pair walked over together. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Here. Since you don’t want me to do it, Willow’s going to wrap it,” Angello stated as Willow kneeled down before them. “I’m going to head down the hall. You can find me when you’re done.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The prince turned around and started down the corridor. He only made four steps. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wait.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angello peeked over his shoulder. Finn was staring at the floor, facing away from Willow. She was hovering the vest over their shoulder, unsure who they were referring to.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“This is going to hurt,” Finn said, blankly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angello didn’t need to be told twice. Yes, it wasn’t a question. Yes, Finn wasn’t directly asking for him to stay. That didn’t change the fact that this was Finn’s way of wanting Angello to stay with them. Angello had known Finn long enough to understand when they truly wanted help. It was never a beg or a direct demand. Always an implied statement that Angello learned to interpret. He didn’t say anything when he returned to Finn’s side. He didn’t need to. The agreement between them was loud and clear. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Willow lifted the vest again. “I’m going to pack it tightly to stop the bleeding. You won’t be able to use your right arm until we can get proper dressing, okay?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn nodded. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Willow smiled sadly. “I’m sorry in advance.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With that, she brought the vest down on Finn’s shoulder. Immediately, Finn reached over to Angello, squeezing his arm. The prince tried to remain calm as the feline’s claws scratched his skin. Willow continued looping the vest over Finn’s shoulder, tugging it each time to ensure it’s stability. After the third loop, Finn buried their face into Angello’s neck, choking down the urge to scream. Not wanting to violate his friend’s boundaries, Angello refrained from reciprocating. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Seeing Finn’s discomfort, Willow worked as quickly as she could. Once the ends were tucked and fastened, she took her hands off the feline, letting them work through the subsiding pain. Though the situation wasn’t the brightest, a small part of Willow was warmed when she saw Finn going through the breathing exercises to stabilize themself. Perhaps they did listen during one of their meditation sessions, after all.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>However, what captured her attention the most was how the cat child was reacting. Finn was willingly snuggled up into Angello’s side, seemingly nuzzling the base of his chin. The only way it could be any cuter is if they started purring. Willow quietly giggled to herself, snapping a hand over her mouth as Angello motioned for her to silence. Taking the hint, she indicated her leave and left the two alone. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angello remained still, waiting patiently as Finn slowly detached themself at their own pace. The vulnerability displayed was not one to take advantage of. Finn retracted their claws first, opting for a loose fist instead. Then, they sluggishly opened their eyes, taking in their surroundings. Angello smiled but didn’t move.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You doing okay?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That sucked,” Finn exhaled, lifting their head from where it was buried. Angello chuckled in response, shaking his head as he carefully scooted away to give Finn space.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can imagine,” the boy sympathized, getting to his feet. “Can you get up?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The feline nodded after a pause, sluggishly rising to meet him. They took a tentative step forward, only to waiver from the sudden head rush. Angello was instantly there to catch them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I think the whole point is to </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>fall over,” the prince poked fun, holding both of Finn’s hands with his own. The feline rolled their eyes, a hint of a grin forming. Angello always knew how to keep situations light.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I would’ve never guessed,” Finn played along, encouraging Angello to start walking. They didn’t want to leave Willow alone for too long. Unexpectedly, the prince slipped his fingers between Finn’s, lacing them together. Finn cocked an eyebrow at Angello, expecting an explanation. Angello shrugged, trying not to make it a big deal.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can’t be too careful.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Whatever, mom.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Much to Angello’s surprise, Finn didn’t unlace their fingers as they went to find Willow. Whether it was because they still needed support or simply enjoying the touch, Angello didn’t know. He decided not to question the situation and enjoy the moment, heart fluttering every time Finn lightly squeezed his hand. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The hallway to Willow wasn’t nearly as long as the first corridor they went through. The stroll was very brief before they saw the outline of the flower princess standing alone in another room. This room was much smaller. And if Finn was being honest with themself, they would barely even call it a room. The space had no floor, only an extended platform that started where the hallway ended, reaching a few meters ahead. Other than that, it was a straight drop into a dark abyss none of them could see the bottom of.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Willow was at the end of the platform. In front of her, there was a short wall with two fairly sized diamond shaped indents. One was empty while the other had a white crystal inserted inside of it. She was in the middle of examining the foriegn object when she turned around, hearing the footsteps of her returning friends. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“There you are!” she beamed. “I was just looking at this crystal. It looks special, but after what happened when Finn touched that hologram back there… I-I thought I should leave it alone, y’know?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn grimaced, letting go of Angello’s hand to cross their arms. “Not my fault I didn’t know the castle would start attacking us with spiders.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No one’s blaming you,” Angello reassured them. “Willow is just being careful, that’s all.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The princess nodded in agreement.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Whatever. What’s that crystal?” The feline switched topics.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh! This thing? I don’t know, really,” Willow rubbed the back of her head. “B-but it looks important! I think. I’m not actually sure.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angello was the one who stepped forward. His first instinct was to physically investigate the object, although Willow’s warning and the spider incident held him back. The crystal was a little bigger than his hand from what he could see. Then again, half of it was lodged in the wall socket. Upon closer examination, Angello swore he could see little markings on the surface. He beckoned Finn to come over for a second opinion. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What do you think this is?” he asked the feline.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn squinted, letting their observant eyes wander over the peculiar crystal. After a brief moment of silence, they straighten their back with a shrug. “Beats me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Perhaps we can ask someone for help?” Willow suggested.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, we can’t ask anyone for help because we are supposed to keep this whole thing a secr-” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Actually, that’s not a bad idea,” Angello said, cutting the feline off. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What? No, it’s a horrible id-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ooh! Why don’t you call Aunt Entrapta? I bet she would know!” Willow added.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Listen to me, we can’t-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Willow, you’re a genius!” Angello exclaimed. He immediately shook his arm and activated the Telephone. “Call Entrapta.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Angello! I told you-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Telephone flashed twice, indicating the call was received, and quickly popped up a small hologram hovering above the device. Finn groaned in defeat, raking their fingers down their face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A familiar purple haired princess was now staring directly at the prince. She squealed. “Oh, hi Angello! You’ve never called </span>
  <em>
    <span>me </span>
  </em>
  <span>before! Well, actually no one really calls me anymore. Statistically speaking, eighty percent of my calls from people are because they need my assistance. So if my data is correct, you’re here for my help! You </span>
  <em>
    <span>do </span>
  </em>
  <span>need help right?” The princess came uncomfortably close to the camera to squint at Angello.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh, yeah,” it took Angello a moment to process her fast talking. “We,” he slowly turned his arm to show Finn and Willow. “We found some old First One’s tech. We didn’t know what it was, but since you’re the expert-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Another squeal from Entrapta pierced the air. “First One’s tech? You have to show me! Can I use it when you're done? I promise I won’t do anything bad with it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> In front of Angello, Finn made a clear signal with their hand to </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>indulge Entrapta’s drooling love for First One’s tech. Angello reassured the feline with a quick wave.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe later,” Angello told her, switching his position so she could see the crystal. “This is what we’re trying to identify.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Entrapta leaned in again, lips pursed in concentration as she analyzed the foreign object. Behind her, Imp settled on her shoulders, peering curiously at the trio. Suddenly, Entrapta smiled, using her hair to hold her up as she wriggled in excitement. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s a data crystal! You can only find them in First One’s buildings. They have </span>
  <em>
    <span>so </span>
  </em>
  <span>much information in them, never knowing what amazing wonders they have inside!” her eyes sparkled in awe. “If I can’t have it, </span>
  <em>
    <span>please </span>
  </em>
  <span>let me know what it contains.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure,” Angello answered, honestly. Finn groaned again. Willow patted their back in solidarity.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Imp whispered something in Entrapta’s ear. She nodded as the demon creature flew off. “Well, tell me how it goes! Me and Hordak are making another bot today. I was just running some test runs before you called me- ooh tiny snacks!” she clapped, extending a tendril of hair off screen to grab a small cupcake. At that, the hologram cut off, leaving the three in silence.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“See?” Angello wheeled around to Finn, hands on his hips. “Was that so hard?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn grumbled as a response, not willing to reciprocate verbally. Just because the call seemed to have gone well doesn’t mean there won’t be any repercussions later. If Angello had just </span>
  <em>
    <span>listened </span>
  </em>
  <span>to them, he would’ve been reminded this whole mission was a secret. The more dragged into their circle, the more mouths they had to keep shut. Speaking of which, thank the </span>
  <em>
    <span>stars </span>
  </em>
  <span>he didn’t mention where they were. Entrapta wasn’t a big secret keeper, either (Thanks, Wendy!).</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Willow decided to pipe up and break the awkwardness. “So does this mean we’re taking it? I mean, if you guys aren’t, that’s fine. I just-I guess because with the whole ‘asking Entrapta’ thing, it meant we were taking it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t see why not,” Finn shrugged.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay, but before you do anything, we need a plan,” Angello stopped Finn as they reached for the crystal.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A plan?” Finn quirked a brow.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“In case the building attacks us again,” Willow clarified for the feline. Their lips opened to let out a quiet </span>
  <em>
    <span>oh. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We need to be ready. I do not want to become spider food,” Angello shivered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Whatever. I’m pulling this thing on three,” Finn inched closer to the crystal.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“One..”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angello summoned a sparkle bomb in his hand.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Two..”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Willow awkwardly put up her fists.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Three!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn pulled the crystal out. Silence.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And then it happened.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Various panels on the walls slid open, releasing violently gushing water into the room. The doorway they come through automatically closed, leaving the trio trapped. Looking over the edge, the once thought never ending dark abyss was filling with water. They had only minutes before the entire room was submerged. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What do we do?” Willow panicked, darting back and forth on the small platform.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angello shot a look at Finn, expecting an answer, but the feline was almost as terrified as Willow. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Finn?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Angello, I can’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>swim,</span>
  </em>
  <span>” they said, shakily. They let out a small yelp as a splash of water nearly hit their face. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What do you mean you can’t swim?” he shouted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I mean </span>
  <em>
    <span>I can’t swim!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh, guys..” Willow was wide eyed, staring at the water pooling at everyone’s feet. Finn’s fur immediately puffed out as they hissed, bouncing off the water in hopes to find anything dry. They only managed to get more soaked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angello licked his lips, running through their options. There weren’t many. Unfortunately, they didn’t have time for brainstorming. If anything, they just needed to stay together. Once separated, they would surely be doomed. The prince tried ignoring the water at his knees as he formulated a plan.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Willow!” he grabbed the princess’s attention. “We need some vines. Hold us together!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Willow nodded rapidly, snapping her fingers as she guided newly forming plants to weave around her friends. The vines slithered around Angello and Finn, wrapping tightly around their waists. Finally, she led the vine to wrap around herself, tethering the three together. The trio shuffled through the chest high water to grasp onto one another. Finn struggled not to pull Angello and Willow underwater as they felt their feet lift off the platform. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At first, they were floating in place as the water rised, thinking that that would be the worst of it, but the Crystal Castle wasn’t going to go easy on the intruders. The water slowly began pulling them counterclockwise, spinning them in a large circle as a giant whirlpool opened up beneath them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Whatever happens, don’t let go,” Angello said, trying to hide the fear in his voice. His two friends gripped each other's forearms in agreement.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And then, the Best Friend Squad 2.0 was submerged into the water, spiraling down into the depths of the unknown pit below.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn was rudely awakened by a bright light shining on their eyes. They grumbled, turning over onto the other side to rid themselves of the disturbance. Oddly, the “bed” beneath them was quite harder than they remembered. In addition, they couldn’t feel any blankets on them either. Was it always this cold? Why did they feel damp? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The feline cracked open an eye and was surprised to be met with a blue sky overhead. Then it hit them. </span>
  <em>
    <span>We were just at the Crystal Castle. </span>
  </em>
  <span>All the memories of their trip flooded their mind. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I don’t remember leaving the castle. Where are we?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn ignored the soreness of their injured shoulder and throbbing headache as they sat up. A light gust of wind brushed past their fur, leaving them shivering. They brought their good arm to their chest, surveying their surroundings. They were definitely back in the Whispering Woods, that was for sure. The tall trees and tiny orbs of magic floating around them confirmed it. Where the Crystal Castle was and how they got there, Finn didn’t know. Honestly, at this point, they didn’t really care.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The vine around the three had snapped, though thankfully, Finn spotted their friends fairly quickly not too far away. Both were still unconscious, face down in the dirt. The feline slowly crawled over to them, gently shaking them until they stirred from their slumber.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Five more minutes..” Angello said, groggily. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure, but then I’ll have to leave you out here in the wilderness alone,” Finn answered with a smirk.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The prince was awake pretty quickly after that. Willow was awake soon after, pulling the two in a large hug, overjoyed that they had made it out alive. They were all soaked, tired, and bruised, but they were okay. Best of all, Finn had managed to hold onto the crystal. No castualities, minimal injuries, and loot? Sounded like a successful mission to Finn.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Unfolding Secrets</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Are you seriously going to make me do all of this?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you seriously want me to mess with all your work?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angello scowled at the feline. He’d been trying to connect the data crystal to the computer he stole from his dad for the better part of three hours. Other than bringing him some food from the kitchens, Finn had contributed almost nothing. Why was he even doing this? Oh right, he lost a battle of will.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Pleaaaase, Angello. You’re the smartest one of us. Only you know how to figure out what’s in the data crystal.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Finn had resorted to begging. Literally begging. On their knees with hands clasped together kind of begging. They had just returned home after Willow regretfully informed the two that she </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span> still in charge of Plumeria, meaning she couldn’t leave for long. Plus, she promised her younger siblings she wouldn’t be more than a couple of days. Apparently, Iris and Fern hadn’t grown out of their clingy phase yet.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Now, Finn and Angello were currently in the prince's bedroom after sneaking in through the window (again). Once he had properly cleaned and dressed Finn’s shoulder, the feline immediately wanted to crack the data crystal. Angello was seriously debating. Sure, it made sense to see what they had considering the lengthy process they went through to get it. However, he was also exhausted and wanted to have a couple days of downtime.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Angello didn’t share the same energy Finn had. Finn could be out for hours, days, probably even weeks, and still be as energetic as the day they started. Meanwhile, Angello enjoyed spacing out long and tiring expeditions so he wouldn’t be worn out. Willow and Aunt Perfuma called it “mentally recharging”-Something Finn apparently didn’t need.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Come on, what if it’s something important? We’ll never know if we don't try.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>This time, Finn peered up at Angello with doe eyes, lips slightly quivering to sell the look. Angello sighed. He knew fully well that this was all a facade to convince Angello, and yet, knowing this, it still worked. It always did. He could never truly deny Finn anything when they were determined. Seeing the excitement and gratefulness on the feline’s face was always worth it.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Alright, alright,” he caved. Finn beamed brightly and pumped a fist in the air. “But if this takes a while, you’re getting me some cake from the kitchen.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Deal,” Finn agreed, handing Angello the crystal.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can you at least hand me that wire over there?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn sauntered over to where he was pointing and picked up a red cable. “What does this one do?” they asked as Angello swiped it from their hands.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s to help balance the energy between the data crystal and computer,” he connected one end of the cable onto the crystal with a metal clip, plugging the other end into his device. “This crystal is thousands of years old. The energy it has and the one my computer has are way different. I don’t want to break a circuit.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fair enough.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Once they’re synced, I should have everything ready to go.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Finally!” the feline exhaled, plopping down on one of their bean bag chairs. For some reason, Angello protested against doing the work in his room. He didn’t want the stolen supplies to be found in his possession. Finn didn’t really care, although it was strange to be lounging around in their own room rather than Angello’s. Usually, all the fun happened in the prince’s room.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn’s room was vastly different from Angello’s. For starters, there was no purple or glitter. The walls hadn’t changed since Catra and Adora painted it before Finn was born. The prince may have many accessories to accent his room, but Finn saw all those decorations as a waste of space. Their room was much simpler. Everything in it had some purpose. That’s why Finn only had bean bags instead of actual chairs. Other than a bed, closet, dresser, and desk, there wasn’t much else to look at. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Well, except for right now, since half the floor was covered in cables and screens. Angello was in the center, murmuring quietly to himself as he toyed with the wires, alternating between typing a few codes into the computer and checking the crystal. Finn was staring off at the ceiling when they heard the door creak. A familiar alien cat pawed at the frame, wanting permission to enter. Finn obviously beckoned them over.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They smiled as Melog padded over to them, holding out a hand for the cat to sniff. Melog mewed, taking a few whifs of Finn’s scent before nudging their arm for pets. Finn happily obliged. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can you understand them?” Angello asked out of curiosity, peering over their computer at the interaction. “I know Aunt Catra can.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Er- sort of,” Finn scratched behind Melog’s ears, prompting a purr from the cat. “My mom is bonded to Melog, so she can understand actual words. I can just interpret feelings, wants, or warnings.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s cool.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah,” they chuckled fondly at the memories. “When I was younger, Melog would even tell me when my moms were coming..” Finn said the last word slowly, realizing that the cat’s sudden appearance meant. “Oh, crap!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angello, not fully paying attention, snapped up with surprise. “Why crap?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And just like that, the clack of Catra’s claws against tile came into earshot. Both Angello and Finn stared at each other with visible fright. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re so </span>
  <em>
    <span>dead.</span>
  </em>
  <span> She’s going to see all of this!” the prince cried.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn chewed their lip, staring at their feet. There was no time to properly hide everything. Not to mention that the equipment needed to be handled carefully and roughly shoving it around probably wouldn’t be the best idea. The feline was beginning to freeze in fear of discovery before Melog chuffed next to them. A lit candle went off in Finn’s head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s it! Quickly, Melog!” Finn urged, pushing the cat onto Angello. The prince tried protesting, but was muffled by Melog pinning him to the ground. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wh- Fn!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shut it! She’ll still be able to hear you!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The alien cat mewed one more time before shimmering and fully disappearing, taking the tech and prince with them under their invisibility. Finn sighed in relief just as a knock came from the door. They squeaked and scurried over to open it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“H-hi, mom!” Finn stammered out, subtly smoothing over the agitated fur.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra let out a toothy grin. She didn’t seem perturbed in the slightest. If anything, she looked the slightest bit amused. Then again, she always had that look. Adora often would prod her during serious moments about it. Apparently, she was “getting better at it”, but Finn didn’t pay attention enough to catch it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, kiddo. What’re you up to?” she put one hand on her hip, briefly flicking her gaze into the ‘empty’ room.</span>
</p>
<p> <span>“Nothing,” Finn bluntly answered. “I came back here to eat.” The cat child turned to show the empty plate sitting on the floor. At least </span><em><span>that </span></em><span>wasn’t too far off the truth. </span></p>
<p>
  <span>“I can smell the frosting from here,” Catra chuckled. “Anyway, have you seen Sparkle Boy? Glitter and Crop-Top are looking for him.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn snorted. The nicknames their mom bestowed upon the royal family never failed to be amusing. Even Double Trouble approved.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, not recently. He came in here this morning, though. Have you checked his room?” Finn turned the question back onto Catra. Keeping the other person occupied threw less of the suspicion of themself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nah, Momma’s going over there now. We split up.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Divide and conquer.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Exactly,” she ruffled Finn’s locks. “Glad my kid got my sense of strategy. If it were up to Adora, we’d still be on the other side of the castle.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Momma says that she’s still the better fighter,” Finn blinked, innocently.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra narrowed her bicolored eyes. “Did she, now?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Distraction complete. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’ll see about that..” she murmured, flexing her claws. Finn giggled quietly. Catra tried playing upset, but was ultimately smiling too much for her own good. “You’re too much.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The cat child gladly took Catra’s statement. Troublemaker was their middle name (Almost. Adora nearly added it to their name during toddlerhood. Glimmer stopped her). Both Finn and Catra’s ears twitched as a distant voice called out. Recognizing her the queen’s voice, Catra slumped over as a low groan escaped her lips. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Boring duty calls.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Gross.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Tell me about it,” Catra sighed. “Well, if Angello comes your way, tell him to find his parents. He’s needed for ‘important matters’,” she air quoted the last two words.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can do,” Finn replied with a thumbs up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re a dork like your mom. Still love you. See you around, kiddo.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Byeeeee,” Finn called after her, waving until Catra disappeared down the hall. Once their mother was out of sight, they quickly shut the door. “That was close.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A yowl came from the center of the room as Melog lifted their cloak of invisibility. All of the wires and monitors popped back into existence, including a crushed prince who was struggling beneath the alien cat. He gasped, inhaling deep breaths as Melog slowly clambered off. After a few coughs, he rolled forward and groaned between his knees.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why is it that </span>
  <em>
    <span>I’m </span>
  </em>
  <span>the one who seems to be in the crossfire between you and your questionable plans?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If I recall, you </span>
  <em>
    <span>willingly </span>
  </em>
  <span>came with me on all of those ‘questionable plans’. </span>
  <em>
    <span>And </span>
  </em>
  <span>you said you were bored here,” Finn crossed their arms.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fine, fine,” Angello waved them off. “Let me get this damn connection to work so you can take over.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What? Why?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh, because I have to go? You heard your mom. My parents are looking for me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn’s ears drooped. They’d hoped that they would be able to uncover the secrets together. Without Willow, Finn would be doing this all by themselves. Something not ideal for the extroverted feline.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’ll come back if I find something important, right?” they said, hopeful.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angello flashed a reassuring smile. “Duh! I didn’t spend all this time for nothing. Now, let’s see what this bad boy can do.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He excitedly rubbed his hands together, looking around at all the wires to confirm that everything was set. Then, after typing the last of the code, he gave Finn a nod and entered the command. The computer began whirring, displaying a blue loading screen. Behind Angello, the data crystal glowed, quickly growing in intensity. The intense light soon grew too bright for the pair to handle, and both were temporarily blinded.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shut it off!” Finn said, hoping they were facing in Angello’s direction.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just hold on! I think it’s working,” he answered rather loudly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn was skeptical, but they weren’t exactly in a position to do anything about it. Against all of their impatient tendendancies, they didn’t protest and waited for the light to subside. It didn’t. Rather, the computer made a very strange noise ending with a </span>
  <em>
    <span>ding. </span>
  </em>
  <span>In a blink, the blinding light was gone, instead replaced by the regular soft glow from the data crystal. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn rubbed their eyes in confusion. “Did… did it work?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angello experimentally cracked an eye open and tried looking at the screen. He gaped at what was displayed before him. “Finn, </span>
  <em>
    <span>look!”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The feline hurried over and placed their chin on his shoulder to peer at the computer. It worked! Hundreds of files in First One’s writing were uploading onto the screen, scrolling by as new ones emerged. The two friends glanced at each other with obvious excitement. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You did it!” Finn shook Angello’s shoulders happily. Angello smiled and switched his gaze back to the computer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“First try, no less.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Angello, the new tech master.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t flatter me.” he stuck his tongue out. Finn backed off as Angello stood and dusted himself off. “I have to go now. It’s not like I can really help you any further, anyway. All of those files are First One’s writing.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll translate anything interesting. No way I’m actually reading through all of that stuff. It goes on for ages!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We have all the time in the world, Finn. There’s no planet to save. Take your time,” the prince shrugged. “I’ll come back when I can. Don’t do anything stupid while I’m gone.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I never do anything stupid,” Finn protested.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angello raised an eyebrow.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I never do anything stupid </span>
  <em>
    <span>on purpose,</span>
  </em>
  <span>” the feline corrected themselves. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s more accurate. Catch you later,” the prince flashed a peace sign and exited the room. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn exhaled. The rest was up to them, now. Hopefully, whatever Angello was needed for wouldn’t take too long, and the pair could be back solving the mysteries together. For the time being, Finn would have to be doing the rest solo. Well, almost solo. Melog trotted over to the feline and rubbed against their leg with a purr. Finn softly pet their head while taking a seat in front of the computer. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They just needed to sort out some files. How hard could it be?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Turns out it was a </span>
  <em>
    <span>lot </span>
  </em>
  <span>harder than they thought it would be. There were a total of six hundred and twenty eight main files, each with three or more sub folders. On top of that, there was no organization. Thank the stars that they weren’t looking for anything specific, or else they’d never get anything done. Finn resorted to skimming and scanning all the information, but days had passed and they were barely making a dent. They were only on file two hundred and fifty seven.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Most of what they found was nonsensical garbage, anyway. Other than writing down some locations of possible First One’s landing sights, the rest was about boring stuff like Etheria’s climate patterns or descriptions of soil. After a while, Finn determined that this data crystal was used as information about Etheria for the First One’s to read about upon coming to the planet. Lame.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This went on for a week. Angello stopped by when he could, but as always, his princely duties filled most of his time. Usually it was during the late evenings before bed or right before he was called by Glimmer. Other than that, Finn was working by themself. The biggest issue was trying to hide the tech while explaining to Catra and Adora why they were spending hours upon hours away from everyone. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn managed to make up vague stories about meeting Willow in the woods for the day, which were working for the time being. In the morning, they’d announce their leave and scurry into the woods, only to immediately sneak back into the castle. Then, right before dinner, they’d go back to the woods to roll in the dirt and put twigs in their hair. That way, when they strolled into the dining room, everyone could clearly see the results from Finn’s “playdate”. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was on the eighth day when they finally stumbled across something intriguing. File three hundred twenty two. It was one labeled </span>
  <em>
    <span>Crystal Castle Functions. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Curious, Finn clicked on it. There were fifty subfolders. Perfect</span>
  <em>
    <span>. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Finn grumbled to themself and propped their chin in their hand while scanning each folder. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Defense system. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Nope. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Administrator list. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Not helpful. </span>
  <em>
    <span>She-ra protocol. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Maybe. Then there was one on the bottom that was different from the others. A folder that was green instead unlike the other colorless writing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Light Hope.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn decided to investigate. What they saw next made their heart drop. Even Melog, who has gotten into the habit of lounging on Finn’s bed, woke from their slumber at the sudden change in emotion Finn was radiating. The cat leapt over to Finn and mewed in their ear, obviously concerned. Finn didn’t respond, too shocked to say anything. Instead, they timidly copied the folder, transferring the information to their Telephone. Then, they finally turned to the alien cat, grabbing their face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Melog. Find Angello.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Just one of these days I’d like Angello to be looking for me. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Finn thought to themself as Melog tracked the prince’s scent through the castle. The alien cat looked back at Finn and yowled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The throne room?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The cat nodded. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why would he be there?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Melog did what Finn assumed to be a shrug. No matter. “Thanks, Melog. You can go back to mom,” they said, scratching the cat’s ears. Melog purred before turning invisible and bounding down the hallway where they came. Finn sucked in a breath and started jogging to the throne room. Catra and Adora stressed that running through the castle was not appropriate. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn was confused as to why Angello would be in the throne room. Generally, any discussions would be in the war room. Activities in the throne room for special occasions or public trails. To Finn’s knowledge, there weren’t any of the above. If there were, there would’ve been talk around the castle about it. Not to mention that Finn was occasionally offered to attend them (not that they’d actually sit through something that boring).</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Feeling metal crash into their face brought Finn out of their thoughts. The feline stumbled back, clutching their nose with a groan. Their icy eyes snapped up angrily to confront the one who interrupted their path, only to soften upon finding a well known guard standing at attention.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“General Juliet?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The highest ranking soldier in Brightmoon eyed the feline that just ran into her and dipped her head in respect. “How may I be of service, child of She-ra?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh, right. That’s my title. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m looking for Angello.” Finn said, scrunching their nose up to ensure it wasn’t broken. That metal </span>
  <em>
    <span>hurt. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The prince is currently in the throne room with her majesty, the queen,” she answered, deadpan.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Great! I need to talk to him. It’s important,” Finn took a step toward the door.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The general blocked the feline’s path with her spear. “Apologies. Queen Glimmer has asked to not be disturbed. Unless it is a matter of utmost urgency, I cannot let you enter.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn narrowed their eyes. “What’s going on, anyway? There’s no trial, right?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Juliet stared at the feline, quizzically. “Do..do you not know? Tomorrow is Liberation Day. The royal family is preparing for the big celebration.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh. That.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If you have a message for the prince, I can gladly inform him,” the general offered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No!” they practically shouted. “I mean, no, you don’t have to. I’ll come back when they’re done.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“As you wish.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn nodded awkwardly and sped down the corridor. This just made everything much more complicated. They totally forgot about Liberation Day! Angello will be occupied the entire time with his duties as prince. Now, Finn will have to wait even longer to show him their findings. The finding that will change everything.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Light Hope Status: Active</span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Dress To Impress</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>How could Finn forget Liberation Day? Aside from Princess Prom (which will always be the best party), Liberation Day was the biggest celebration of the year. Rather than being contained in one kingdom, every Etherian in every kingdom celebrates together to commemorate the day they took back their freedom from Horde Prime. The parties are lavish and long, spanning all day and well into the night. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The best part, well, Finn’s favorite part is when the fireworks are set off at dusk. Entrapta created beautiful explosives that burst in the sky with varying colors and designs. The sound they made was slightly agitating but Angello would always bring tight ear muffs for Finn to wear as they watched. It was a little tradition for them to watch the fireworks together. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Being the prince and heir to Brightmoon, Angello was whisked away for the day to stand aside his parents. Queen Glimmer and King Bow, along with Catra and Adora, spent most of the morning and early afternoon going around the kingdom to visit the people. They gave thanks and received thanks in return. Often people would bring gifts. Then, just before the fireworks, a speech was given by every princess to their kingdoms about strength and unity (or something along those lines). </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Once Angello was done being a puppet to his duties, they would find Willow (who always visited after her mom’s speech) and would sit on the roof to watch the spectacle. For a while, Finn wondered why they weren’t required to go along with Catra and Adora. They </span>
  <em>
    <span>were </span>
  </em>
  <span>dubbed the child of She-ra, so weren’t they supposed to shadow Adora’s role? They learned the truth the hard way.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Momma?” the small cat child called out. They slowly pushed open the door to their parent’s room, peering in. Finn was sure they saw lantern light spilling out from beneath the door, meaning someone had to be up. Thankfully, their intuition proved to be true. Adora was sitting in front of her vanity mirror, brushing her long golden strands. She turned toward Finn upon hearing her name.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Hi, sweetie. What are you doing up so late?” she questioned, setting down her brush and motioning for Finn to come over. The feline complied, dragging over a chair to sit beside Adora. She gazed at her child through the mirror, giving a soft smile as she reached over to cup Finn’s cheek. “Did you have a nightmare?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“No,” Finn pouted, lashing their tail behind them. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“It’s okay if you did. Sometimes even someone as strong as your momma has nightmares.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I didn’t have a nightmare!” Finn growled, shying away from their mother’s touch. Adora looked a little hurt, though said nothing.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you,” Adora said, earnestly. “What did you want to talk about?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Finn curled their tail around themself and looked at the mirror. They were still too short to see their reflection. Just the small poof of their chocolate mane. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I couldn’t play with Angello today. Uncle Bow said he’s busy with him and Aunt Glimmer. Why can’t I see him?” the feline hugged their knees to their chest.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Seeing that the reason for their visit was not one of urgency, Adora’s initial tension released. “Oh, Finn. Don’t you know what day it is tomorrow?” she asked, sweetly. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>The feline stared at her blankly.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“It’s Liberation Day,” Adora clarified.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“What’s that got to do with Angello?” Finn frowned.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Well,” she smoothed the wrinkles of her night gown. “Other than celebrating with the people, princesses deliver a big speech and thank everyone. Angello is the prince of Brightmoon so he has to go with Aunt Glimmer to learn what she does, because one day, that will be his responsibility. He probably couldn’t play because she was teaching him what to do.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Finn dangled their legs off the end of the chair and stared at the ceiling. “Don’t you go with Auntie Glimmer with mom, too?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Yes, that’s right.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Then how come I don’t go? She-ra is a princess.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Adora took a deep breath and ran her fingers through her hair. She didn’t think she’d have this conversation with Finn so soon. She and Catra agreed that they wouldn’t keep any secrets from Finn concerning their lineage, although Adora always assumed it would be when they were a little older. Finn wasn’t even seven. Nonetheless, she made a promise.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Come here,” she said, softly, widening her arms to make space for Finn. The feline raised their brows at the request but didn’t oppose it. If doing this meant answers, so be it. Finn quietly crawled into her lap, moving Adora’s arms out of the way to rest their head against her shoulder. Adora used one arm to secure the feline while the other picked up the brush.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Do you remember how mommy got to be She-ra?” she asked while beginning to tame the wild mess atop Finn’s head. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>The child bobbed their head. “You found the sword in the Whispering Woods.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“That’s right,” she smiled, trying not to pull at any knots. “I didn’t choose to become First One’s champion. The sword called to me in my dreams. Etheria chose </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>me</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span> to become the planet’s guardian.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Finn purred in response. Their eyes were starting to flutter with each brush stroke. Honestly, Adora was surprised they were even up this late. It was nearly midnight.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“From the moment Angello was born, he was destined to be the prince of Brightmoon, heir to Queen Glimmer. Auntie Glimmer and Uncle Bow knew that their child would eventually succeed them. But..” she trailed off, not knowing if the feline had fallen asleep. Finn flicked their tail, though didn’t open their eyes. Close enough.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“She-ra isn’t hereditary.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>This time, Finn cracked a single eye open. “What’s… heri-dairy?” they said, lazily.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“It means that She-ra isn’t inherited. You won’t become She-ra because you’re our child,” Adora nearly choked on her words. Why was it so hard to say? </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Finn fully opened their eyes and peered their baby blues right into Adora’s soul. She always forgets how brilliant they are. Though not related by blood, Adora swears up and down that there is a part of her in Finn: their eyes. The exact same pair as Adora’s. Sure, Adora could listen to Entrapta explain how Catra could’ve easily passed one of her eye colors to Finn, but it never felt right. They were hers. Her gift to her beautiful, wonderful child.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“So,” they whispered. “I’ll never be She-ra?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Adora bit her lip. “Yes..”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Finn frowned for a bit, mind running a million times a minute. Adora’s heart sunk as she saw the faintest hint of water lingering on the edge of Finn’s eyes. The feline turned their head to bury their face into her shirt.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“So does that mean you won’t be my mommy anymore?” they whimpered, quietly. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Oh, honey,” Adora wrapped her arms around the child, holding them tightly against her chest. “No, of course not. You will </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>always</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span> be my baby. It doesn’t matter if you don’t become She-ra. Me and your mom love you no matter what. That’s something that will never change.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>She rubbed their back soothingly, whispering sweet admirations into their ear. Thankfully, she only saw one tear fall. Finn wasn’t full on crying, though Adora could tell they still harbored some sadness. She gently lifted their chin with one finger to look at them properly.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I’ll tell you what. You can come with us tomorrow.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Finn sniffed, a hint of a smile crawling up their face.“Really?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Really,” Adora nodded. “You’ll have to be on your best behavior. No running off on your own.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Finn wasn’t really listening. They were too busy bouncing up and down with excitement. Twice, Adora had to catch Finn from falling. Briefly, it crossed her mind that this might be a bad idea. And yet, when she saw the happiness on Finn’s face, she couldn’t say no. Tomorrow, She-ra would tour Brightmoon with Finn.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The best part of it all was that Finn hated the entire ordeal and vowed never to do it again. Spending hours on end saying thanks to hundreds of people wasn’t exactly their idea of fun. Plus, having not contributed to the war or being an heir, Finn didn’t really get that much attention or duties. They spent most of the time standing awkwardly beside their parents and smiling. Catra said it was to “maintain a good, healthy image for the families”.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Because of this, Finn spent most of Liberation Day mingling in the party hosted in Brightmoon castle or by themselves in their room until Angello was free. Who could turn down free food? And sometimes Double Trouble would visit to entertain guests. One year, Finn joined them and ended up at the end of a kick line with the clones. Catra and Adora never let them live that down.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>On the topic of a beloved auncle, if Double Trouble was attending this year’s celebration, Finn needed to dress to impress. Double Trouble took formal wear </span>
  <em>
    <span>very seriously. </span>
  </em>
  <span>From sheer black rompers to flowing pink gowns, Double Trouble was always the most elaborately dressed. They tried teaching Finn how to dress like Etheria’s spotlight was solely on them, but Finn never caught on. Other than their normal casual wear, Finn didn’t really own or use anything else. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Suits were hot, dresses restricted their movement, and shoes were the worst! Catra was the only one who took to Finn’s defense when they complained that shoes always pinched their toes. It wasn’t their fault they didn’t take into account the room for claws! Catra may put up with them during formal events, but Finn still refused to put their toes in a foot prison.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Be as that may, it was still expected that Finn put </span>
  <em>
    <span>some </span>
  </em>
  <span>effort into looking a little more put together tomorrow. The question was: </span>
  <em>
    <span>what </span>
  </em>
  <span>was Finn going to wear? Last year they borrowed Willow’s blazer, and the year before that, they stole Angello’s only black vest (no way Finn was going to wear purple!). Now, Angello didn’t have any plain clothing and Willow was too far away to get anything easily. That left the only person whose style was closest to theirs. Catra.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For some reason, even after braving the Crimson Waste, risking discovery at Dryl, and infiltrating the Crystal Castle, sneaking into their parents room was always anxiety inducing. Finn’s stomach was churning into sickening knots as they cautiously popped a head into their room. If memory served them right, both of them should be out and about, picking up whatever the queen couldn’t get to. Still, being careful was key.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A quick sniff of their scent confirmed that they hadn’t been in there for a few hours at least. Finn crouched on all fours, padding up to the wardrobe across the room. Something that always amused Finn since they were young was that their moms shared nearly everything except for where they kept their clothes. Adora kept hers in a dresser and Catra in a wardrobe. They mentioned it once to Glimmer, though she didn’t have an answer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The feline tentatively opened the left panel, flinching as the hinges squeaked. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Loud objects will be the death of me</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Another quick scan of the room ensured Finn that they were still alone. They turned their attention back to the clothes. Obviously, like Finn, she didn’t have much of a selection to choose from, but Finn was desperate for anything that looked fairly decent. Finn reached for one shirt that caught their eye, only to get interrupted by someone clearing their throat at the door.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are we stealing now, kitten? Tsk tsk. Mommy won’t like that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It took about .3 seconds for Finn to recognize the voice. Double Trouble, in all their glory, was leaning against the door frame, smiling at the small feline rooting through their mother’s clothes. “And of all the things to steal, this is what you’re looting? I’m almost disappointed.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn’s ears flattened against their head, embarrassed. The lizard person chuckled and strolled into the room. “I’m just teasing, kitten. There are much</span>
  <em>
    <span> worse </span>
  </em>
  <span>things you could be doing. What little scheme are you up to this time?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t have clothes for Liberation Day,” they mumbled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Double Trouble gasped, putting a hand to their chest in shock. “No </span>
  <em>
    <span>clothes?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Oh, darling, this is an </span>
  <em>
    <span>emergency. </span>
  </em>
  <span>We need to get you an outfit, </span>
  <em>
    <span>stat!</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn couldn’t even get a word in before Double Trouble swept them up and tucked them under their arm. “To the seamstress!” </span>
</p>
<p><span>“Auncle, we don’t have</span> <span>a seamstress,” Finn pointed out as the lizard person burst out the room on a mission to find their dear protege proper clothing.</span></p>
<p>
  <span>“Honey, you’re looking at them,” Double Trouble grinned. At this point, Finn decided to keep quiet. It’s not like they were in the position to argue, anyway. Double Trouble weaved through the Brightmoon castle, weirdly avoiding any wandering guards or staff until they made it to an empty bathroom. They placed Finn on the ground in front of a full length mirror and clapped their hands excitedly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Now, let’s get started!!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Started on what?” Finn turned to face the lizard person, surprised to see them covered in tape measures and different fabrics. “How did you-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s not important. Now, stand still, darling. I need to take your measurements.” Double Trouble lifted Finn’s arms so they stood in a T pose. Then, taking one of the many tape measures draped on their shoulders, they began taking note of all Finn’s measurements. They continued to baffle Finn by pulling a notepad and pen out of nowhere, jotting down the results. Every so often, Double Trouble would mutter quietly to themself, tightening the band somewhere over Finn’s body and nod in approval. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How are you going to make something in time? Liberation Day is tomorrow,” the feline asked as Double Trouble stepped back. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t underestimate my abilities, kitten. I know </span>
  <em>
    <span>exactly </span>
  </em>
  <span>what you need,” they grinned, pulling out their notepad and going over their notes. “You want to take inspiration from your mother, yes? Great choice, great choice. Between me and you, your mom is </span>
  <em>
    <span>much </span>
  </em>
  <span>more stylish than Adora.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn smiled, remembering Double Trouble ranting about Adora’s red jacket that she refused to take off for nearly a decade. Apparently, Glimmer personally took it upon herself to hide the jacket and force her into new clothing. Talk about tough love. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And, just like your mother, cool colors don’t suit you. I’ll make sure to only use neutral or warm colors to accent your natural undertones. I’m thinking of something simple with just a hint of regality.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn’s face went completely blank. Sometimes, Double Trouble forgot that Finn’s vocabulary wasn’t completely developed yet.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The lizard person sighed, lowering their notepad. “I am going to use colors that will look good on you and make sure it’s not too overdone. Got it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finally, the feline nodded, glad that Double Trouble simplified their confusing terminology. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wonderful. You can go, now. I have work to do,” they gestured toward the door. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wait, will you be at the Brightmoon party tomorrow?” Finn asked, hopeful. Just because their auncle was here right now didn’t mean they would be tomorrow. Double Trouble roamed where they pleased, when they pleased. Unless for a job, they were constantly on the move.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Perhaps,” the lizard person curled their tail upward. “Why? Do you miss your favorite auncle?” they winked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn suddenly felt very shy, which was odd. Their own tail wavered nervously behind them. “I want to show you something but I promised Angello I’d show him first.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Double Trouble raised a brow. Finn was generally a straightforward person, so this odd moment of anxiety coming from the feline was anything but expected. Generally, Finn rarely filtered whatever came to mind, opting for a more blunt approach. However, Double Trouble didn’t care enough to inquire further about this strange request.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t you worry your little head, kitten. I’ll be there tomorrow night.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn smiled, ears perking up. “Yay! What will you be wearing this year?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The lizard person scoffed, tossing their long locks over one shoulder. “Darling, I do adore you, but not even </span>
  <em>
    <span>you </span>
  </em>
  <span>can ask such </span>
  <em>
    <span>personal </span>
  </em>
  <span>questions. What good is a surprise if everyone knows what’s coming? If you wish to know, then you’ll have to find me tomorrow.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is that a challenge?” Finn grinned, devilishly. Double Trouble laughed, patting the countertop lightly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“This is why I like you, kitten. Always down for a good bet. Alas, no. I shall be walking amongst the people, getting the attention I so rightfully deserve for my fabulous dress.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So it’s a dress?” the feline caught the lizard person’s slip up. Double Trouble cursed themself and began shooing Finn out of the bathroom.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s enough for today, darling! I’ve had a wonderful time. I’d say to come back soon, but that would be a lie. Run along and do whatever you children at your age do.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn was pushed out of the room and had the door slam behind them. It occurred to them that Double Trouble had just locked themselves in a random bathroom, but it hurt Finn’s head to think about it too much. They’d found their auncle in weirder situations. For now, they needed to practice the worst quality known to man:</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Patience. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Liberation Day</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>BEHOLD! My favorite chapter so far</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Thankfully for Finn, the night of Liberation Day came quickly. After stressing all morning, Melog trapped Finn onto their bed and refused to leave until they calmed. Finn put up a struggle, but eventually lost to the giant alien cat and fell into a light sleep. It was a few hours later when the sun was setting did they wake. The sound of their bedroom door opening and closing brought them out of their dream state.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rubbing their eyes, Finn sat up and scanned the room. Instead of a person standing before them, a small brown parcel lay on the floor. Finn glanced at Melog, who happily bounced off the bed to retrieve the package. The cat placed the mystery parcel into Finn’s lap and curled around the feline child in anticipation. Finn noticed a letter atop the wrapping and read it first.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Dearest kitten,</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>No need to thank me, I already know how amazing my work is. Do enjoy them, I won’t be making you another.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Much love, </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>DT</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Finn smiled and set the letter aside as they opened the package. Just like what Double Trouble promised, everything looked very similar to Catra’s style. There were three articles of clothing with two accessories inside. Already liking what they saw, Finn eagerly dashed to the bathroom to try them on. The first they put on was a simple white button up with golden buttons and popped collar. Then came the crimson side cape that draped over their left shoulder. It also had sheen golden silk lining the hems, embroidered with metallic wings on top.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Now that Finn got a good look at it, they realized it was nearly identical to what Catra wore, but the colors reversed. Strange, but strangely fitting for them. Next came the black pants with a gold stripe running down the side that hugged their legs tightly. Finn was pleased to see the very bottom of the pants stretch over their feet where there were holes for their toes and heel. For the final touches, Finn was given a simple belt with a (you guessed it) golden buckle, and a brand new pair of fingerless gloves. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The feline did a spin, satisfied with the results. It was exactly what they were hoping for. With newfound pride, Finn grabbed their Telephone and walked out the door. The queen’s speech should be happening any time now, meaning Angello’s freedom was near. Finn made their way to the throne room where the party should be condensing. Being slightly giddy, Finn was on the verge of breaking into a run when someone stopped them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Didn’t we ever teach you about running in the halls?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn stopped dead in their tracks and whipped around. Arm in arm strolling down the hallway were none other than their moms. Catra cocked her head to the side with a smile. “I’m starting to wonder if you even listen to us.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She looked to Adora to back her up, only to find the blonde with a hand covering her mouth. Tears were forming on the edges of her eyes. Catra’s smile fell as panic crept into her body. “Adora? Adora, what’s wrong?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Finn..” she managed to whisper. Catra glanced at their child, not understanding what was wrong. They looked just fine to her. Finn shrugged in response. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What is it? What about Finn?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They look just like you,” she shakily stepped forward to place her hands on their cheeks. “You look </span>
  <em>
    <span>so </span>
  </em>
  <span>much like your mother,” Adora whispered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra blinked, watching this whole interaction happen. Finn was standing silently as Adora took in the sight of her beloved child. Catra wasn’t really paying attention to Finn’s appearance before, though now that Adora mentioned it.. they really </span>
  <em>
    <span>did </span>
  </em>
  <span>look like her. The shirt, cape, and gloves were the exact same design, just swapped colors. How Finn managed to pull that off, she didn’t know, but it suited them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra joined her wife and placed a hand on Finn’s shoulder. “You look absolutely dashing.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We love you so much,” Adora added, planting a kiss on Finn’s forehead.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Needless to say, Finn was thoroughly flustered. Well, Adora’s reaction wasn’t too far off her norm, but Catra? They were expecting some side remark about stealing her style, not compliments. They awkwardly rubbed the back of their neck and fought the rising blush to their cheeks.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re not weirded out or anything?” Finn asked Catra. The feline woman made a face. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why would I? Those clothes look good on you. It’s not like you stole clothes from my wardrobe or anything.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn almost choked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora pulled herself together and straightened her back. Catra instinctively opened her arm for the blonde to loop her arm through. She was still looking at Finn fondly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re really proud of you, Finn. You’ve grown so much.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“For better or for worse,” Catra coughed. Adora elbowed her in the ribs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We have to join Glimmer to announce this year's speech. Do you want to be up there with us? You know you’re always welcome.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn wasn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>planning </span>
  </em>
  <span>on being eye candy for the entire kingdom (Double Trouble told them about that term!). They’d only been up with their parents twice. It was just standing still and looking pretty while everyone spoke about how grateful they are to be out of the war. Not to mention the worst part, which was standing aside Angello while both of their parents welcomed any fighters of the war to dance with them on the floor. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Alas, looking at Adora’s hopeful eyes, Finn couldn’t find a reason to say no. “Sure.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora beamed, hugging Catra closer to her in excitement. “Wonderful! Oh, I’m so happy. I’m sure Auntie Glimmer is going to flip when she sees you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She started toward the throne room with Catra, motioning for Finn to follow. Finn had to walk quickly, occasionally jogging up to remain by their side to compensate for Catra and Adora’s long strides. Adora steered them to the main entrance, following the lively chatter of party goers growing louder in the halls. As the entrance came into the view, Finn saw that there was still a steady stream of people arriving. Many guests dipped their heads in respect as the trio passed by. They didn’t need to stop at the security checkpoint.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Glimmer, Bow, and Angello were already at their thrones. A few familiar faces surrounded them, engaging in light small talk. The queen noticed them first, seeing the crowd part to allow the family passage through. Glimmer stood, alerting her husband and child who did the same. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“People of Brightmoon, esteemed guests and friends, let us welcome our heroes She-ra, Princess of Power, and Catra!” the queen’s voice boomed over the crowd. A round of applause rippled through the room. Catra and Adora smiled and waved to any nearby attendees as they joined Bow and Glimmer by the thrones. Finn scurried on after, unsure where to stand. Luckily, Catra flicked her tail to Angello, and Finn complied.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Long time no see,” the feline whispered to the prince. “I have something to show you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Later,” Angello flashed a smile and winked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Glimmer, Bow, Catra, and Adora took a step forward as the applause simmered down. The queen surveyed her people and began addressing the crowd.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Only twenty years ago, Horde Prime and his army sought to conquer Etheria. His army, the Horde, had been ravaging our lands for decades prior. What they didn’t know is that we, the people of Brightmoon, the people of Etheria, </span>
  <em>
    <span>never </span>
  </em>
  <span>give up! Even with our losses, we, along with the other kingdoms of Etheria, managed to take back our land from the evil clutches of the Horde. With help from our friends from the Princess Alliance, Horde Prime was officially defeated!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The crowd cheered, whooping and whistling. Bow took Glimmer’s hand, sharing a split second heartfelt look with his wife before continuing. “Contrary to what many of our stories may tell, it was not us who single handedly took down the Horde. It was you, the powerful might of the people who rose together to fight alongside one another. The courage, determination, and will in your hearts made this future a reality. On this day, two decades ago, Horde Prime was vanquished from Etheria for good. So, let us celebrate our freedom from his clutches! To Liberation Day!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“To Liberation Day!” the crowd echoed. Some raised their drinks, others pumped their fists in the air, all cheered. Bow and Glimmer glanced at the two women beside them. Catra nudged Adora forward, seeing that she was not getting the memo that it was her turn. The blonde looked at her, clueless. Catra groaned and took the initiative instead.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We want to thank each and every one of you who participated in the war for your contribution to our success. Veterans, healers, suppliers, or any aid to the war, please come to the center and join us for our remembrance dance.”  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Now realizing what was happening, Adora took Catra’s hand and walked with her to the cleared dance floor. Glimmer and Bow were following not too far behind. Finn could see other people emerging from the crowd as well. Netossa and Spinnerella, General Juliet (who was invited as a guest) with her date, and Castaspella were a few Finn could recognize. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can’t believe we have to do this one day,” Finn commented as everyone settled into their dancing positions. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“One day? Why don’t we do it right now?” Angello grinned. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What? Angello I don’t-” Finn tried protesting, only to be pulled along by the prince who dragged them to the center. There were quite a few stares and whispers. The king and queen shared a look with a knowing smile. Finn swore that Adora was three seconds from crying. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Too late to turn back now.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The feline grimaced and held up their hand as Angello did the same. Custom dictates that partners circle one another as the viola begins the song. Finn heard it was to analyze your partners movements to better match their stride. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Whatever. </span>
  </em>
  <span>They glanced at Angello, who’s lavender eyes poured into Finn’s with a look of admiration and excitement. Finn blushed and tore their gaze away. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The pianoforte and bass indicated the next part of the dance. Despite being shorter, Angello took the lead, resting his hand on Finn’s waist while the other took the feline’s hand. They started with a simple box step, letting the flow of the music lead them around the room with the other couples. Finn was somewhat confused to see the prince’s uneven and rushed footsteps constantly interrupt their steady movements. He wasn’t confident by any means, but it was obvious that Angello was just here to watch Finn suffer rather than committing to perfecting the dance.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Not wanting the prince to win (and being slightly annoyed with the unfluid steps), Finn decided that it was time to take matters into their own hands. When it came to do a dip, the feline overpowered Angello’s gentle lean and forced the prince back instead. Then, with a twirl, their dynamics changed, and Finn was the lead. Angello mouthed a silent </span>
  <em>
    <span>what the hell? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Finn winked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Now in charge, Finn properly led Angello through the rest of the dance without fault. The pair glided across the dance floor with ease, effortlessly transitioning between the different forms the remembrance dance called for. At some point, Finn stopped noticing the other dancers. It was like the world zeroed in on the two, drowning out all the other people around them. It was just Finn and Angello. Angello and Finn.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>All Finn could see was the curve of Angello’s lips as they peeled back into the biggest smile he’d ever seen. Finn found themself smiling, too, starting to enjoy themself in this once thought foolish dance. They would even go as far to call the experience enjoyable. Perhaps, all this time, they were just missing the perfect partner. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora was never so proud of her child. First, Finn dressed just like Catra (which, sure, wasn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>that </span>
  </em>
  <span>big of a deal but they were just so darn </span>
  <em>
    <span>cute).</span>
  </em>
  <span> Then, they actually came with them for the queen’s speech! And now, Finn was </span>
  <em>
    <span>enjoying </span>
  </em>
  <span>themselves at the dance with Angello. She’d never seen Finn so happy before. She had Catra pinch her to make sure this wasn’t just a dream. At some point, the rest of the dancers slowly cleared off the dance floor, allowing the two children their own special dance. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She was happy for them. Happy that Finn was happy. Sometimes Finn could be difficult, but it was moments like these that she knew they would be alright. Adora wrapped her arm around Catra and pulled her close, still watching Finn and Angello dance to their heart’s content. Catra went to kiss Adora’s forehead, only to be interrupted by a small voice behind them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Aunt Catra? Auntie Dora’?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Willow, elegantly dressed in a flowy green dress with a flower crown, curtied in the presence of the two women. Adora chuckled and waved off the formalities. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, hi, Willow. You’re a little early,” the blonde smiled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The flower princess mirrored the smile. “My moms are back in Plumeria, so I’m off duty. I came to find Angello and Finn buuut it looks like they’re busy,” she glanced to the dance floor. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was Catra’s turn to chuckle. “You got that right. I don’t even think they’ve noticed they’re on their own, yet.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can you blame them? Look at how much fun they’re having,” Adora pointed out. “Have you ever seen them so enticed in something? I was getting a little worried this week with all the time away they were spending. Speaking of which, Willow, what trouble are you two getting into these days?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The daughter of Perfuma frowned, confused. “What do you mean?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Y’know,” Catra gestured off to the woods. “What are you guys doing out there all day? It’s like everyday that Finn goes off to find you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Willow was even more confused. Her eyebrows knit closely together, trying to see if this was a trick question. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I haven’t seen Finn in a week.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora let go of Catra, stepping closer to Willow. “When did you last see Finn?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Since they took me and Angello to the Crystal Cas-” the princess clamped a hand over their mouth. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>What?</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Adora said, almost at a whisper. The dead, emotionless tone she used sent shivers down Willow’s spine. Her face was slowly contorting into one of anger, something Willow was </span>
  <em>
    <span>extremely </span>
  </em>
  <span>uncomfortable seeing. She gulped, deciding she might as well confess since the secret already slipped.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“W-well F-Finn found the Crystal Castle a-and took me and Angello with them to see what was inside. W-We made it out okay, though! Finn got bit on the shoulder from one of the spiders, but Angello said he treated it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora didn’t react. Her face was expressionless and dull. Catra didn’t know either, opting to lay a hand on Adora’s shoulder. Willow started shaking and grabbed onto their scorpion tail for comfort. “I-I’m sorry!! I didn’t want to go but I didn’t want to leave them alone!” she cried.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora closed her eyes, using all of her willpower not to completely lose herself. Thankfully, Catra’s touch kept her grounded. After a few stabilizing breaths, she took a knee in front of Willow and put a gentle hand on her shoulder.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you for telling us, Willow. You can stay here for the night if you like, but me and Aunt Cat need to have a talk with Finn.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I always thought I smelled something funny in their room. I’ll get Bow and Glimmer,” Catra murmured in her ear, disappearing into the crowd to find them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The princess nodded, wiping the tears spilling from her eyes. Adora got up and heard the audience clap. Finn and Angello finished their dance. She looked at them and clenched her fists. </span>
  <em>
    <span>They better have a good explanation for this.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn wasn’t sure how long they danced for. If someone told them hours, they would’ve believed them. Eventually though, they had to finish, and ended their dance with a simple spin and over exaggerated dip. The giant round of applause following brought them back into reality. Finn blinked and saw that they were the only ones still on the dance floor. Their ears immediately flattened in embarrassment.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Finn..” the prince breathed, a little winded from all that dancing. “Where did you </span>
  <em>
    <span>learn </span>
  </em>
  <span>to do that? I thought you said you didn’t dance.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I said I didn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>like </span>
  </em>
  <span>to dance. Not in front of people, anyway. Double Trouble’s been teaching me since I was five.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You were amazing,” Angello smiled, fondly. “I’ve never danced like that with someone before. It was nice..”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn’s cheeks flushed red. “Uh, yeah. I bet my moms are losing their minds about it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They scanned the crowd, trying to find Catra and Adora. They found them, alright. They found Catra running off while Adora crouched in front of a crying Willow. Willow pointed to Finn and sobbed harder. In response, Adora got up from her crouching position and stared directly at Finn. Her gaze was cold and hard. Finn’s stomach stopped. There was only one reason why she would be that angry. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Finn, where are you going?” the prince shouted as Finn pushed him aside and started running. They weaved through the tight crowd as fast as they could, ignoring any attempts to start a conversation. Finn ran until their lungs burned, going wherever their feet took them. They ended up halfway around the castle in the garden where a small smattering of guests were chatting quietly. Finn spotted a familiar face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Double Trouble!” they croaked, staggering toward their auncle. Double Trouble craned their neck to the sound of the cry, shedding the various people clinging to their arms. The lizard person was wearing a form fitting purple dress with a feather boa, heels, and shades. They sauntered over to the cat child and slid their glasses down their nose to get a good look.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ooh, I got your measurements perfectly. Also, you look like a wreck, honey.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Double Trouble, they found out. My moms found out,” Finn despaired. “I saw Willow crying to them and then mom turned around so </span>
  <em>
    <span>angrily </span>
  </em>
  <span>and I just know she knows</span>
  <em>
    <span>.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Slow down, kitten. What did they find out?” </span>
</p>
<p><span>Finn explained everything. Double Trouble kept a neutral expression and nodded, turning over the situation in their mind. The adventure itself was</span> <span>very impressive. In another universe, Double Trouble would praise Finn for their enticing tale. Unfortunately for their own reality, Finn was about to learn what happens when their web of lies is broken. </span></p>
<p>
  <span>“You have to help me,” Finn gripped the fabric of Double Trouble’s dress. “What do I do?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Finn, honey,” the lizard person pried their little hands off. “Remember what I said about digging your own hole too deep?” Finn nodded. “You’ve reached that point. You’re on your own, now.” </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. For The Greater Good</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>Thunk, whack, bop. Thunk, whack, bop. Thunk, whack, bop.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That was the sound Finn’s ball made as they bounced it against the wall to pass the time. After the Liberation Day fiasco, they were sentenced to two weeks of solitary confinement and a month of parole (two weeks of being grounded and a month of having a chaperone but whatever). Despite being only twelve hours into their sentence, Finn was already sick of the isolation. There were only so many ways to play with a rubber ball.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>All things considered, this was a relatively tame punishment considering the amount of trust and rules they broke. However, Finn was still annoyed that they even got into trouble in the first place. Willow got off scot free! She ran home with no repercussions. Angello was punished like Finn, although they weren’t sure if he was grounded, too. Everything was a blur after they were reprimanded. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“FINN!” a harsh voice bellowed from the crowd. Everyone in the garden visibly flinched. Double Trouble blinked and adjusted their sunglasses.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Looks like my cue to go, kitten. I can’t help you get out of this one.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Wait, Double Trouble! Please!” they begged as the lizard person walked back to their group. Double Trouble only shook their head.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Finn!” Adora’s voice clearly shouted. The warrior of Etheria was doing a power march toward the feline from the castle. Any guests in her path immediately hurried out of the way, not wanting to interfere with the First One’s wrath. Though not in her She-ra form, Finn swore she was radiating with a golden aura. Finn gulped.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Adora stormed up to Finn with a crazed look in her eyes. She was practically trembling. Finn was frozen. Even Catra was a safe distance away from her wife, standing a couple feet away with wide eyes. The blonde gritted her teeth and loomed intimidatingly over her child.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“With me. NOW.” </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Finn didn’t need to be told twice. They tucked their tail between their legs and hurried after their mother who practically barreled into the closed off section of the castle. The second they were out of sight from the guests, she wheeled on Finn.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“What on ETHERIA were you doing?? You went to the Crystal Castle by yourself!? How did you even find it? You could’ve gotten seriously injured!”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“But I didn’t! And Angello and Willow were with me in case anything bad happened!”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Something did, didn’t there? Willow said you were bitten by one of the spiders! How did you even get out? If the castle turns on their defense system, it locks all occupants inside unless an authorized administrator deactivates it.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“We-we got flushed out,” Finn said, sheepishly.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Whoa, hold up, you got what?” Catra interjected, crossing her arms and narrowing her bi colored eyes. “You can’t swim. You’re telling us you almost drowned and expect us to think everything’s fine?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“It’s okay! Willow tied us together with a vine and we made it out together.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Finn, do you realize how irresponsible that was?” Adora questioned, putting both hands on their shoulders. “Going into a First One’s building without one of us there? You don’t understand how dangerous those places are. The people who settled here wanted to use Etheria as a weapon. The programs they used aren’t exactly friendly. You can’t just play around in anything that looks pretty!”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I wasn’t playing,” Finn hissed. “I knew what I was getting into. We went there on purpose to explore.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“That’s the thing. You can’t just “explore”. You don’t know how to defend yourself. You’re just putting yourself in danger.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“No, I’m not!” Finn pushed away from Adora. “I’m not as helpless as you think I am! Double Trouble has been training me how to fight for years! I’ve been practicing with daggers since I was ten.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Both women were speechless. Finn was shaking as all of their bottled up emotions surfaced. “Double Trouble showed me how to survive in the wild- how to use the terrain to my advantage. They showed me my strengths and how to use those, too. We even went on a mission together to the Crimson Waste. And you know what? I did awesome! Double Trouble said it went perfectly. They were </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>proud </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>of my work.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span> This time, Catra stiffened up. While yes, she personally had a grand time parading around the Crimson Waste, that place was also full of criminals and thugs. Certainly not a place she wanted her child to be wandering. She’d have a talk with Double Trouble later. Well.. if Adora didn’t get to them first.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“When did you go to the Crimson Waste?” Adora gasped.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“When I told you I was going to Dryl.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“You’ve been lying to us for.. months?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Years,” Catra said, quietly. Adora didn’t take into account the years of training that led up to this. Adora clenched her jaw and let out a wavering breath. No amount of meditation and breathing exercises could help her now. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Finn, I cannot </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>begin</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span> to stress just how disappointed we are. You endangered yourself, endangered your friends, lied to your own parents and-”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Catra tugged at Adora’s shirt sleeve. The blonde whipped around to growl at the interruption, only to stop as she saw the pained expression on Catra’s face. Adora was so consumed by anger she didn’t even see her own wife’s discomfort at the entire situation. The brunette slid her hand into Adora’s, intertwining their fingers as she pulled her in.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“That’s enough. I think Finn gets the point,” she glanced at the cat child who was equally as emotional as Adora. At that moment, the blonde’s tension snapped and a sob choked up in her throat. She buried herself into Catra’s arms as the feline woman rubbed her back soothingly. In a few hours, Adora would realize that her fear for Finn’s safety came off as anger and feel bad about it. But for the time being..</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Go to your room.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Wait! I have something to show you! I found something in the Crystal Castle that-”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I don’t want to hear the excuses!” Catra put a hand up. “You’ve lost your credibility. Go to your room and don’t come out until we tell you.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Thunk, whack, bop. Thunk, whack, bop. Thunk, whack, bop.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn grimaced. After that, they hadn’t even seen their moms. Catra came by the following morning to give them a run through of their punishment, although that was done through the closed door. They didn’t really feel like seeing their disappointed faces right now. The last thing they needed was more guilt.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Okay, sure, they may have gone out and done things they weren’t supposed to, but they had something important now! Light Hope was still out there somewhere. Speaking of which, Finn stopped tossing their ball and looked at all the tech sprawled out on the ground. Another reason why they refused to let their mothers in. Kind of hard to hide more than twenty feet of cable. They carefully stepped over the wires and settled in the middle to turn on the computer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn was in such a rush to tell Angello about it that they didn’t even read the whole file. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I swear, If it’s a false alarm, I’m going to die. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Once the computer was up and running, Finn transferred the personal file uploaded on their Telephone to display on the big screen. There were a lot more pages of writing than Finn was hoping for, though it’s not like they had anything better to do. The feline was barely a minute into reading when their Telephone started buzzing. Finn jumped at the sudden intrusion and scrambled to answer the call.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angello was the hologram that hovered over the device. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, Finn. I wanted to see how you’re- Oh. You okay?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The feline’s ear flicked at the question. It didn’t take a genius to know their expression was not one of joy. Not anger; they had no reason to be irked by their longest friend. More of a general disdain for the entire situation they’d been cornered into. Angello’s little holographic hand came forward as if he could touch Finn.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re in this together, right? You’re not the only one stuck in their room. My parents grounded me, too. Whatever happens, I’m right with you. Less by choice nowadays, but hey, I’m not complaining,” he chuckled, softly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn took some comfort in Angello’s words. They found themself putting up a hand in return, wishing that it were the prince’s actual hand instead of air. “It sucks that it came to this,” the feline mumbled, irritably. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know,” Angello groaned, propping his chin onto his hand. “I’m so incredibly bored. I’ve just been messing with some of my instruments to pass the time. What are you up to?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I-” Finn started, flicking their gaze to the computer in front of him. “I’ve been reading more of those files from the data crystal.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh! Find anything interesting?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I did,” the feline suddenly felt chilly. Was it always this cold? “Angello, remember what that one weird holographic lady we first saw in the Crystal Castle said about Light Hope?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The prince’s eyebrows knit closely together. “Something about not being available, right? Aunt Adora did say she disabled her program, so I assume that’s why we couldn’t access her.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You were wrong. Angello, she’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>still here.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What!?” he shouted, eyes widening at the realization. “What do you mean she’s still here?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I found a file called </span>
  <em>
    <span>Crystal Castle Functions. </span>
  </em>
  <span>It included a subfolder about Light Hope. It says that she’s still active somewhere. I meant to show you yesterday, but..”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Right, right,” he nodded, taking a deep breath and combing his fingers through his curls. “What does it say about her? Where is she? Can we see what she’s doing?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know! I was just about to see for myself when you called. There looks to be a couple dozen pages, though, so it might take a bit. I guess this time we have to ourselves is good for something.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah. Well, keep me updated,” he indicated his leave. He didn’t want to intrude in any of Finn’s process. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I mean, you don’t have to go,” Finn fiddled with some loose wire by their tail. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you asking me to stay?” the prince asked, a trace of a curious smile forming on his cheeks.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If you want,” they shrugged. “You could play your music or whatever. It makes for good background noise.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angello had to do a double take. Finn had never asked for him to play for them before. He had his suspicions that the feline enjoyed his music, then again, he hadn’t encountered a soul that didn’t enjoy his gift. Still, the prince felt a weird sense of warmth and honor at the request. Something about having Finn directly </span>
  <em>
    <span>wanting </span>
  </em>
  <span>him to accompany them, music and all... it was special. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“As you wish,” the prince bowed, momentarily disappearing from the hologram. He returned with a violin this time, tucking the wooden instrument under his chin. Finn raised a bow at the change, recalling that the violin was the hardest for Angello to learn.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Should I feel honored that the perfect prince of Brightmoon dares play the one instrument he </span>
  <em>
    <span>isn’t </span>
  </em>
  <span>perfect at?” the feline poked fun at Angello. He laughed with a shrug.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“In a way. I won’t play it for anyone else. Consider this a personal performance just for you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn was glad that holograms didn’t show light changes in color. They pretended Angello’s words didn’t cause their heart to skip a beat and turned back to the screen. Angello’s violin quickly filled the empty void with a beautiful melody, washing away any of Finn’s anxieties. The feline brought a comfortable pillow to rest on and started scanning the information.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>More than once, Finn had to reread multiple pages, inevitably getting lost in Angello’s music. It almost felt like a crime not to. His songs told unspoken stories with the simple stroke of a bow string. Every so often, he’d spice up the tune, switching from long low notes to a quick pizzicato. From the hologram, they could see the prince with his eyes closed, completely devoted to his creation. Was it okay to call him handsome?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn cursed themself and tried shaking the thoughts away. They had work to do! At this point, they were only skimming the words, trying to catch anything that seemed important. A lot of the notes included certain protocols for the different situations Light Hope may encounter when training She-ra. Answers to questions or how to handle defiance. They flagged those to come back later. It was only near the very end when Finn finally found what they were looking for. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Deactivation Proceedings.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Angello!” Finn shouted at the boy. The prince flinched and disrupted his smooth playing with an abrupt squeak of the strings. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Stars, don’t scare me like that!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I think I found what happened to Light Hope.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angello’s eyes widened. “Is she still here?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let’s find out,” the feline cracked their knuckles and got out a sheet of paper to write down the translations. They cleared their throat and began reading off the instructions. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>In the event of the deactivation of Plant Facilitator Light Hope 2.7 on extraterrestrial planet Etheria, beta version Light Hope 1.3 will actuate at thirty percent function. If authorized personnel does not reinstate the most recent installment within twenty four months of the deactivation, a reset will transpire.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A reset?” Angello echoed. “What does that mean?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn shot a glare at the prince and face palmed. “Angello, we’re in the same boat, here. I know as much as you do. If you can’t immediately figure it out, chances are that I don’t know either.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay, okay. I’m sorry. Is there anything on where the beta version is? It’s obviously not at the Crystal Castle. I can’t think of any other First One’s sites that we know of.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hm,” Finn scrolled down further. “There isn’t any record of locations. Maybe it’s in another data- hold on! There looks to be a map.. Gah, they didn’t name anything! How am I supposed to know what this little island is? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Here, want me to take a look at it?” the prince offered, knowing that his knowledge of the landscape probably surpassed that of Finn’s. Being prince did entail education of the many kingdoms, after all. The feline grumbled and switched the camera so Angello could see the screen. He examined the display, rubbing the nonexistent stubble on his chin in concentration.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay, don’t fact check me on this, but I think that might be Beast Island,” Angello concluded, licking his lips.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Really?” Finn was taken aback. They hadn’t heard about Beast Island in a long time. Truthfully, they almost forgot it existed until Angello brought it up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah. My grandpa said that he was dumped on a tiny island used as a First One’s dumping ground a few dozen leagues north of Salineas. Don’t you remember the stories he used to tell us before bed when we were little?” Finn shook their head. “Well, it’s the only place that I know of so far away from everything else.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If you’re sure about it, I believe you,” Finn confided in the prince. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m pretty sure. If it is, we have to be careful. For real, Finn. That place is </span>
  <em>
    <span>bad.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Like She-ra doesn’t like it bad. Before we were born, there was a plan to clean up the island. Unfortunately, any volunteers that weren’t well versed in some type of magic started to go mad. Along with the constant threat of the aggressive animals, it was deemed too risky. No one’s been back since.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn sighed, lacing their fingers and putting them behind their head. Angello wasn’t wrong. Beast Island was no joke. They barely just completed their first solo (aka not adult chaperoned) mission. To take on this quest would be diving straight into the deep end. They’d be in unknown territory with unknown creatures looking for something they read about in a file hundreds of years old. Not exactly very comforting. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And yet, knowing all of the uncertainty and hazards of this, Finn still had an innate desire to go. Not just for their own thirst for adventure, but for the greater good. To finally rid the evil program that tormented their mother for good. Adora never talked about her for a reason, right? Finn didn’t want their mom to suffer anymore.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Angello, I know this sounds like a very horrible, bad, terrible, idea, but-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“-you want to go to Beast Island to find and destroy Light Hope. Don’t have to give me a speech about it. I’m in,” Angello finished for the feline. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn gaped at the hologram. Angello snickered at their shocked expression. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know what this means, right? If we do this, that’s it. Danger and peril aside, we’re going to be flayed alive by our parents once they find out we left. We’re not even supposed to be talking to each other, let alone scheming to go on a possibly month long journey to the most dangerous place in Etheria. Angello, you’ve already done so much for me. You don’t have to break any more trust with your parents than you already have.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angello let his gaze wander, absentmindedly playing with the fabric of his shirt. “I’m aware. I’m okay with it, too. I’ve said it before, I’ve never had so much thrill and fun in my life until you brought me along. And this isn’t just some random exploration for fun- this has </span>
  <em>
    <span>purpose.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Our parents will disagree with it, but </span>
  <em>
    <span>we </span>
  </em>
  <span>know that it's for the better. We're old enough to make our own decisions, now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s hard to believe that just a few months ago you were still too scared to steal cookies from the kitchen </span>
  <em>
    <span>which you basically own.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shush. I’m trying to be supportive!” the prince whined.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn smiled. “I know. It’s just fun to think about. You’ve come so farrrr,” they cooed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“On second thought, maybe I won’t go.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What? Hey, you can’t do that!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Watch me!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angello stuck his tongue out. Finn continued to scowl at the reference and tease. Both erupted in laughter. The feline smiled fondly at their closest and most trusted friend(?), putting up their hand as Angello once did, this time hoping for a more serious response.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Together?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Together,” Angello confidently nodded, mirroring the gesture.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Great,” Finn smiled. “Now, here’s the plan..”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Into The Night</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Finn stuffed the last of the provisions into their sack as they scanned their room one last time. It was completely spotless and clear, save for the obvious note sitting on their desk for their moms to read when they would inevitably find the place empty. With Angello’s guidance, Finn managed to shove the many wires and monitors under their bed, draping a long blanket over the sides to deter any snooping. Obviously not foolproof, but it was the best they could do.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Throwing the sack over one shoulder, they made their way over to the balcony, throwing open the doors and letting the cool midnight air sweep into the room. They didn’t pack much, not wanting to weigh themselves down. Just the data crystal, a few snacks, an extra set of clothes, toiletries, and any form of currency they could find. Hopefully Angello did the same. Ironically, of all the contingency plans and fine details they covered, actually discussing what they’d bring wasn’t brought up. Oh, well. No one’s perfect.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The cat child peered over the edge, eyeing the steep drop that awaited them. Unlike the tower where Angello’s room was that had layered brick to climb, the surrounding material for Finn’s room was completely smooth. Finn managed to make a couple feet of rope with some blankets tied together, though it did still leave a healthy distance between them and the ground. And as if possible landing complications wasn’t enough, guards regularly patrolled the area below. Keeping a watchful eye out was critical. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn tugged on the sheets wrapped around the railing, ensuring its stability. Then, carefully maneuvering over the edge, they quickly began shimmying down the blanket-rope. Finn only got about half way down when the sounds of the guards came into earshot. They cursed and peered below, seeing the outline of a body coming close. Not wanting to risk exposure, they reached for the knife at their belt and roughly severed the line.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was a good three seconds of freefall before hitting the dense earth. Finn landed with an audible </span>
  <em>
    <span>thud, </span>
  </em>
  <span>tucking into a roll to diverge the momentum. Not knowing how close the guard was, Finn vaulted into the nearest possible bush, biting their lip to keep from crying out as hundreds of tiny thorns pierced their skin. Seconds later, the heavy steps of metal boots on soil stomped past. They lingered momentarily where Finn presumed their balcony was, though didn’t raise the alarm.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Once they were sure they were in the clear, Finn slowly maneuvered out of the bush to prevent any more stabbings and kept moving. If Angello was in place, he should be at the docking bay where all of the skiffs are. Finn was to cause a distraction so he could take off with one without anyone seeing. Then, they’d rendezvous in the woods and head off to Plumeria to get Willow. Seemed simple enough.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The docking bay was a little north of Angello’s room, being easily accessible for Dryl drones and skiffs to import goods. It was originally a large courtyard, but because of the wide arch big enough for large shipments, it was repurposed as a holding place for skiffs and drones. At any given time, there were at least four guards posted at the entrance. Since Entrapta wasn’t known for good time management, the docking bay was open all day, everyday, in case any deliveries came in the weird hours. More than once they’ve received a shipment during the darkest hours.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Just as predicted, there were two guards flanking the opening with two more several meters ahead as a lookout. Finn dashed into the edge of the treeline, movements surprisingly silent despite the scattering of leaves littering the ground. They effortlessly leapt into a tree, ascending the branches until they were well hidden from any prying eyes. Then, slipping off their Telephone, Finn secured the wrist device onto a twig and set a timer. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In a race against time, Finn vaulted out of the tree and scampered away, going as far away as possible from the Telephone. Only thirty seconds later, a pre-recorded audio loop of Finn screeching echoed from the tree line. The two outer guards didn’t react as Finn suspected. They exchanged a confused look, remaining unmoved from the post as if there wasn’t a high pitch scream coming from the darkness.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn groaned, raking fingers down their face. They were starting to believe Catra and her complaints that the soldiers were getting soft with no impending war. Even with her and Juliet’s training, current soldiers (according to Catra) were nothing compared to the hard core warriors of their time. To be fair, training wasn’t mandatory to survive, but it also came as a major inconvenience to certain people. Certain people like Finn.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Time for plan B. The feline crept cautiously near the Telephone, this time checking for a safe bush to take refuge in. They crouched within the plant and took a deep breath, cupping their mouth to amplify their voice.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Help me! Help me! Somebody please! I’m dying! Anyone, I’m begging you!” Finn shrieked, making noises of agony. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Now the guards were interested. Those closest to Finn gripped their spears, slowly approaching the source of distress as they called over to the others. One of the guards by the archway took initiative and rushed to join them, yelling to fetch the general over their shoulder. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>No no no no. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Finn panicked as the fourth guard jogged inside. He was sure to find Angello that way. Tactically speaking, staying hidden unless Angello clearly needed help was the best option. That’s what their auncle would say. Of everything, Double Trouble had drilled tactics into Finn’s head the deepest. Holding the upper hand in any situation kept the outcome within control. It was one of the most important advantages to have.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And yet, even with that instinctual training, Finn didn’t hesitate to abandon their cover. Just the thought of Angello in danger was an override to any normal reasoning they usually followed. Plans be damned. Angello came first. Finn sprinted into the open, making a dash to the docking bay. The three guards noticed immediately, trailing after the feline with ineffective commands to stop. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>From within the docking bay, Finn could see two quick flashes of bright light followed by the shadow of a fallen body. The cat child cursed and took a sharp turn to the left, leading the guards away from the opening. He didn’t need help, what were they thinking!? All plans were well out the window as Finn (literally) ran with their predicament.  In such heavy armor, the soldiers served as no competition for the feline’s speed. However, Finn needed to make a show of it and purposefully allowed the guards to get close from time to time, always jumping away when they were about to lay a hand on them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn looped back around to treeline, steering the guards to tread the densest part of the woods. They snuck one last glance at the castle, pleased to see a large shadow in the moonlight take off into the night from the docking bay. Assuming it was Angello’s skiff, Finn made quick work of the guards and ditched them within minutes. Time for phase two.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“When you’re king, I hope your guards are more formidable than the circus I just had to deal with,” Finn laughed, strolling into the clearing. After easily disposing of the guards, they hurried to their agreed rendezvous point; a small clearing of trees that Double Trouble would often take Finn to train. It was large enough to comfortably house the skiff (if things went wrong and they needed to leave it for awhile) and far enough away from the castle that a brief sweep of the nearby forest wouldn’t uncover the spot.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angello was resting on the skiff, lifting up his head upon hearing of Finn’s arrival. He went to sit upright as the feline hopped aboard. “They’re trying their best. It’s not like before, where training was a matter of life or death. They’re just there to keep out an occasional harmless trespasser.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Still,” Finn plopped their stuff next to the boy. “It was almost embarrassing to face them.”</span>
</p>
<p><span>“I still don’t understand why we did all this in the first place. You </span><em><span>do </span></em><span>realize that I have authority over all Brightmoon personnel and I can just ask</span> <span>any of our staff to do anything and they have to comply.”</span></p>
<p>
  <span>“The whole point of this is to </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>be seen,” the feline pointed out. “We’re sneaking out to avoid our parents finding out, not politely going around the castle and asking every person we encounter if we can go for a joyride.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The prince coughed. “And what if someone </span>
  <em>
    <span>did </span>
  </em>
  <span>see us?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn sighed, running their tongue on the inside of their lip. If it was true, then they were on an even bigger time crush before word reached the queen and king. “Then we have to get a move on. Who knows when they’ll send a retrieval party for us, now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angello nodded, taking his place at the back of the skiff in preparation to steer. “Okay. Has Willow answered our messages yet?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Going to be difficult to check considering I left my Telephone in a tree,” the feline chuckled, sheepishly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And you give me grief for slipping up,” the prince teased, pushing the skiff forward. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shut it and drive. We have a princess to kidnap.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The two friends swapped other snarky raillery, filling the time with quiet small talk as they traveled to Plumeria. Being that it was the closest kingdom to Brightmoon, it wasn’t too long of a drive unlike the trip to Dryl. Nevertheless, they were racing the planet’s rotation to reach the flower princess before sunrise. As opposed to the Brightmoon residents who could sleep until midday, Willow and her family were early risers. Something about keeping a steady body clock. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Luckily for Finn and Angello, the kingdom was still asleep as they arrived. Well, more like occupied land. While Plumeria was indeed a kingdom, there were very few permanent structures or buildings. Most residents were housed in tents, yurts, or tree houses. That way, people could easily migrate when the area became too overused. Thankfully, being the princess, Willow and her family always stayed in the same spot: the Heart Blossom.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angello motioned for Finn to climb onto his back, securing the feline with his arms as he bounded off to the center of the kingdom. He tried the best he could to descend silently, landing on the occasional fallen branch to keep from crunching on the crisp grass. When the prince finally made it to the Heart Blossom, Finn practically leapt out of his grasp and dove into the tree.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Finn!” the prince whisper-yelled to no avail. The feline paid him no mind as they dropped into the inside of the tree, wriggling through the tightly knit wooden limbs that made the makeshift home. When Perfuma and Scorpia were first expecting, Perfuma used her magic to construct little rooms within the Heart Blossom tree. It was to make sure finding the royal children wouldn’t be an issue, regardless of season. There were enough branches to form three decently sized areas- all of which had been claimed by the children of Plumeria (Scorpia and Perfuma moved out after Jasper was born). The real problem was finding out which held Willow.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The first room Finn dropped into was relatively simple. There was no unnecessary decoration (which Finn could appreciate) other than a scattering of various semi precious gemstones littering the walls and a big bundle of bedding in the center. Through the small specks of moonlight creeping through the branches overhead, Finn couldn’t quite see who lay nestled in the blankets, although the set up didn’t quite seem like Willow’s style. They silently crept closer in hopes of getting a better look, only to get interrupted as Angello fell from above, dropping face first like dead weight</span>
  <em>
    <span>. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn squeaked; fur bristling in annoyance as they whirled around to glare at the boy. Angello muffled a groan, raising his head to push the dirt that was so rudely jammed into his mouth. The child of She-ra shushed the prince of Brightmoon, frantically gesturing to the sleeping body mere feet away. He whispered a quiet </span>
  <em>
    <span>sorry </span>
  </em>
  <span>and hurried over to Finn’s side, getting a look at the mystery person. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Just like Finn predicted, the person before them was definitely not the princess. Instead, the dark locks of Plumeria’s third descendant, Jasper, mirrored them. He remained still in his blanket cocoon, unmoved by Angello’s loud intrusion. Thank the stars. Finn breathed out a sigh of relief and grabbed ahold of Angello’s sleeve, wordlessly leading him into the next room. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>This seems more like it.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Unlike the dirt floor and mostly barren walls of Jasper’s room, the one before Finn was colorful and full of life. Green grass and flower covered vines decorated the room, spiraling up the walls to form beautiful interwoven plant designs. Rather than a bed or mat, a giant budding flower on the far side of the room acted as a fluffy sleeping area. Angello gave a thumbs up and the two advanced to either side of the large flower. “Willow?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Much to their surprise, there was not one, but three bodies curled up within the flower bed. Willow lay in the middle, one arm draped over her face while the other was wrapped around the middle of a young girl. Meanwhile, another dark haired child pushed against her opposing side, face buried in her shoulder. Finn and Angello glanced at each other with an incredulous look. </span>
  <em>
    <span>That </span>
  </em>
  <span>certainly wasn’t in any of their plans. Wrestling Willow from the grasp of her siblings wasn’t going to be easy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Psst. Willow,” Finn whispered, gently tapping her foot. “Wake up.” The princess stirred, lolling her head to the side. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“In the morning, Iris,” she mumbled, still half asleep. Finn scowled, motioning for Angello to try his hand at the matter. The boy leaned over and nudged her shoulder, waiting until her eyes began to flutter open. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, it’s us. It’s Angello and Finn,” he said, softly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This time, Willow shifted to face the source of the noise, squinting at the prince. After three blinks, her eyes widened in shock. “ANGE-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shh!” Angello quickly clamped a hand over her mouth, pointing to the children flanking her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What are you doing here??” she said at a whisper.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The boy put a finger to his lips, turning to Finn who beckoned the princess to come over. Willow, though </span>
  <em>
    <span>very </span>
  </em>
  <span>confused, slowly wriggled out of her center spot, careful not to disturb her siblings. While Iris simply turned on her side and continued snoring softly, the child that was once comfortably nestled into Willow’s shoulder whimpered quietly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“W-willow?” they called out, patting the empty space beside them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The princess spun around and caressed their face gently, planting a quick kiss on their forehead. “It’s okay, Fern. Go back to sleep.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Fern sniffed, pulling a pillow to their chest, but otherwise didn’t make any other commotion. Now that everyone was settled, Willow followed her two friends outside. They led her a little ways away from the general camp, finding a secluded place to give their explanation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know I cherish you both, but I do hope this is something important,” Willow yawned. “Interrupting my sleep schedule messes up my circadian rhythm.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t worry, it is,” Angello reassured.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Look, the data crystal we swiped at the Crystal Castle contained information about Light Hope,” Finn explained. “She’s not gone. Me and Angello figured out that her backup version is on Beast Island. We’re going there to find and destroy her for good. We’re here because we want you to come with us.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Willow blinked. “Oh. That </span>
  <em>
    <span>is </span>
  </em>
  <span>important.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Exactly. That’s why we need you. Finn and I can’t do this alone. You’re the strongest out of all of us,” Angello put a hand on Finn’s shoulder, backing them up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The princess hesitated, glancing back to her kingdom. Finn didn’t like that look. Sure, it would be ideal for Willow to come with, but they ultimately couldn’t force her. She was her own person and had a say in this, too. That being said, it would be extremely inconvenient and throw a major wrench in their plans if she refused.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Willow closed her eyes, inhaling deeply- part of her meditation ritual. Knowing that she preferred peace and quiet when making major decisions, Angello and Finn stayed silent (which more or less included both of them holding their breath). She folded her hands together, squeezing them nervously, but didn’t seem negative.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay..” she nodded, turning to Finn. “I’ll go. Just.. give me a few minutes, I need to do a few things before I leave.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Really!?” the feline chimed, not expecting an immediate confirmation. “You’re not doubtful or-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“-Are you sure? This is a big commitment. We won’t be back for a couple of months, at least. Not to mention just how dangerous it is,” Angello cut in, making sure Willow knew what she was getting herself into.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The princess smiled, stepping closer to take Finn and Angello’s hand. “I’ve known you both since birth. Of our time together, never once have I doubted the good in your heart. If you come to me with your heart set on something, I will follow. Not out of pity or obligation, but because I have complete and utter faith in the both of you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She let go of their hands, embracing Angello in a hug upon seeing his tears. The prince crushed her in his arms, lifting her from the ground. Finn had to separate the two before Willow suffered permanent damage.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay, okay. This is great, but we got to get a move on,” Finn insisted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll get the skiff ready!” Angello chirped, running off.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Great!” the feline put their hands together. “Alright, you can go get whatever you need and we’ll meet you-” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn didn’t get to finish their sentence as another small voice echoed behind them. “W-Willow? What’s going on?” </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey, party people! Starting now, this story will no longer have a strict posting schedule. I still plan on posting semi-regularly, although feel free to bug me if I start taking too long  :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Never Far From Trouble</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“W-Willow? What’s going on?”</p>
<p>After years of diligent training, Finn was all instincts. So when things came as a surprise, obviously they immediately defaulted to their natural impulses. Double Trouble hadn’t spent all that time preparing Finn for nothing. Normally, such predispositioned abilities were on point and useful. Reaction time was everything, after all. That being said, being startled and pulling a knife on an eight year old probably wasn’t one of their better moments.</p>
<p>“Oh my stars, Finn! It’s just Fern!” Willow shrieked, batting away the blade that Finn had pointed to their nose. </p>
<p>“They came out of nowhere!” Finn tried defending themselves as the dark haired child burst into tears. Willow sighed and bent down to Fern’s level, letting them barrel into her arms.</p>
<p>“You have to be careful with those,” she said, picking up Fern. “You can really hurt someone.”</p>
<p>Finn was sputtering. “They just freakin’ came out of nowhere! How was I supposed to know it was Fern?”</p>
<p>“You couldn’t have known, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be more aware of how you wield your knives.”</p>
<p>  “If it was a guard or follower, you’d be grateful,” Finn grumbled, quietly. Willow wasn’t listening. She turned her back on the feline, gently bouncing Fern in her arms. Fern hiccuped, burying their face into her shirt as she whispered sweet nothings into their ear.</p>
<p>“You’re okay,” she whispered. “See? Look, it’s just Finn. You remember Finny, right?”</p>
<p>The child peeked over Willow’s shoulder at the feline, blinking their teary eyes at Finn. Finn awkwardly waved in response, only to have Fern squeak and hide behind Willow again. Willow shook her head and patted Fern’s back.</p>
<p>“You need to apologize.”</p>
<p>“What’s with you and making me apologize all the time? I didn’t do anything!”</p>
<p>“Can’t you see they’re scared? If you don’t want them running to my moms about a frightening encounter in the woods, I suggest you say you’re sorry.”</p>
<p>Finn scowled, raking their fingers down their face. This was why they didn’t do “kids”.  They were liabilities. Secrets were never kept secrets, personal space wasn’t a part of their vocabulary, and someone was always getting butthurt. There was a reason Double Trouble stayed away from any child related jobs. Looking back, it was a miracle they even took Finn on at all. It’s not like they kept their opinion to themselves. </p>
<p>Nevertheless, Fern was more or less involved now and Finn could do nothing about it. The feline muttered obscenities under their breath and shoved their hands into their pockets, awkwardly kicking the ground as they exhaled slowly. With Willow’s gentle guidance, Fern detached themselves from her grasp and stood at the base of her feet, looking expectantly at the cat child.</p>
<p>“Heyo, Fern,” Finn started. “Sorry about scaring you back there. Didn’t mean to point my daggers at you. Just got a little startled, that’s all.”</p>
<p>Fern grabbed ahold of Willow’s dress and brought the fabric to their face, dawning an unsure attitude toward the whole situation. Finn glanced at Willow for guidance, but only got a small gesture to continue. </p>
<p>“Err, we’re still buddies, right? It would be really sad if-” the feline came to halt, stopping mid sentence as an obvious shuffling of leaves grew in volume behind the princess. Willow didn’t catch it as fast as they did, appearing <em> very </em>confused as Finn froze and stared off into the distance. She followed their gaze and turned around, squinting in the general direction until the noise came into ear shot. Fern, picking up on the uneasiness, nervously clung to Willow’s leg in anticipation. </p>
<p>The cat child was in the middle of drawing their blades again, putting a hand on the hilt until Willow whirled around and stopped them. “No! It’s Jasper. He must have gotten up while we were gone. You need to hide.”</p>
<p>“Oh, great. Have a family reunion, why don’t you?” the feline muttered, slamming the knives back into the sheaths while leaping into a nearby tree. Willow straightened out the ends of her dress and took Fern’s hand, pretending like she wasn’t freaking out over this weirdly stressful situation. Not ten seconds later, the broad shouldered figure of Plumeria’s prince lumbered into view. </p>
<p>Even though Jasper was around Finn’s age, he was easily twice their size (which is totally unfair in their opinion). His large, muscular build and hardy pincers mirrored that of Scorpia, giving him the advantage of both height and strength over his siblings. Willow was already tall, and yet, despite being younger, Jasper still had a good couple inches on her. The fact that Perfuma claimed he still had more growing to do made Finn even more jealous. However, even with his powerful physique, Jasper had one defining characteristic that set him apart from the rest of the Plumerian royal siblings. </p>
<p>“There you are!” the prince cooed, hobbling into the clearing. Fern squealed, letting go of Willow to leap into Jasper’s arms. The dark haired boy had to toss aside his crutch to catch the incoming hug, nearly losing his footing in the process. While only having one leg didn’t affect his day to day life too drastically, maintaining balance after a cuddle attack was always a challenge. Especially with Fern and Iris getting older.</p>
<p>Jasper chuckled and greeted his little sibling with a nose boop. “I thought I heard you out here. Getting into trouble with big sissy, are you?”</p>
<p>Fern nodded, pointing to the tree Finn escaped to. “And Finny too!”</p>
<p>If Finn could’ve died at any moment, now would’ve been acceptable. Willow couldn’t lie for her <em> life. </em> It was like her body was incapable of passing on information that wasn’t correct to the best of her knowledge. Not to mention how <em> obviously </em>uncomfortable she became.</p>
<p>“Finn, huh?” Jasper furrowed his brows, glancing at Willow. “Did you finally get your Telephone working? Kind of a weird hour to get a call.”</p>
<p>Willow was sweating bullets. She wrapped a finger around a strand of her sunny hair and coughed. “Y-Yeah. I didn’t want to wake anyone up so I came out here to talk.”</p>
<p>The prince set Fern down, bending over to grab his crutch. “Fair enough. Although, it seems that trouble is never too far away,” he winked at his sibling, who giggled. “Iris woke me up when she saw you two were gone. Glad you’re okay.”</p>
<p>“Oh, goodness! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to cause alarm.”</p>
<p>“Hey, don’t worry about it. Just part of my brotherly duties to check up on you. Wouldn’t want you running off without me.”</p>
<p>Willow faintly smiled, her anxiety easing up seeing that Jasper didn’t seem to be onto her uneasiness. He shuffled over and held out an arm as an invitation for a hug, which she accepted graciously. It would’ve been a lot better had she not caught the stifled groan of Finn in the tree above. No doubt they weren’t too thrilled with the current situation.</p>
<p>And then it hit her.</p>
<p>“Running off? Without saying anything? <em> That’s </em>a silly thought,” she scrambled to say, jumping away from Jasper’s embrace. “Why would I want to go alone?”</p>
<p>“Because Finny is taking you!” Fern cheered, throwing their hands into the air.</p>
<p>
  <em> First One’s help me.   </em>
</p>
<p>“Y-Yes! They.. They wanted me to come with them to Brightmoon,” Willow clamped a hand over Fern’s mouth before they could say anything else.</p>
<p>“With them?” Jasper cocked his head to the side. “They’re not here to take you, are they?”</p>
<p>“N-No! Not at all! I mean..It’s just..You know how they are. Finn doesn’t want me to walk alone, that’s all. Yeah! They’re, uh, coming here to walk me there.”</p>
<p>Willow was practically dripping in sweat now. There was no way he could possibly buy this. For First One’s sake, she was even trembling. Perfuma would probably think she was on the verge of fainting, if she saw Willow like this. Thankfully for Willow, Jasper wasn’t the most observant sibling.</p>
<p>“I see! Why didn’t you just say so?” he beamed, still oblivious. “Want me to wait with you?”</p>
<p>“NO!” </p>
<p>“Oh,” Jasper’s face fell. “Do you not want me here..?”</p>
<p><br/>“Wait, no, I didn’t..” the princess whimpered, squeezing her tail tightly it hurt. Jasper, <em>finally </em>seeing her concern, put a reassuring claw on her shoulder. Willow immediately wrapped her arms around his neck, choking down a sob. “I-I’m sorry for yelling. I woke up earlier than I usually do and I haven’t had my morning meditation yet and-”</p>
<p>“Hey, it’s alright. I understand,” Jasper returned the hug. “Even mom gets cranky from time to time. Want to do a quick meditation session right now? I’m sure there are a few people up by now.”</p>
<p>Willow blinked away the forming tears and sniffed. “I’d like that.”</p>
<p>“Great. Let’s go back and start a mindfulness circle-”</p>
<p>“A-Actually, why don’t you go ahead first. I need to get my thoughts together.”</p>
<p>“Oh, of course! Take your time,” the prince gave her one last squeeze. “I’ll see you soon. Come on, Fern.”</p>
<p>Hearing their name, Fern happily bounced after Jasper, disappearing into the trees as the two made their way back to the Heart Blossom. As soon as they were out of sight, Willow dropped to her knees, clutching her stomach like her lunch depended on it. She was so out of it, she didn’t even flinch when the leaves above her started shaking.</p>
<p>“What in the world was <em> that </em>?” Finn said, jumping out of their hiding place. </p>
<p>Willow stayed on the ground and groaned. “Please don’t make me do that again. I-I don’t think I can lie like that anymore.”</p>
<p>“Okay, okay. Fair enough. You did good, though! He doesn’t suspect a thing. Let’s get going before he notices.”</p>
<p>“Wait,” Willow’s hand darted out to grab Finn’s shirt. “Please let me do my morning meditation. I-I know we have to move quickly, but this is the last chance I’ll be able to peacefully do this for awhile.”</p>
<p><br/>Finn chewed the inside of their cheek, staring off where Angello was waiting with the skiff. They’d already wasted a lot of time with the whole Plumeria family situation, and Finn didn’t want to keep Angello waiting. Then again, the look in Willow’s eyes couldn’t be ignored. She’d already done so much by promising to go in the first place. What more was a couple more minutes?</p>
<p>The feline sighed and dragged a hand down their face. “Okay, fine. But be quick! We leave as soon as you’re done.”</p>
<p>“Thank you,” she practically cried, nearly trapping them in a hug before remembering to be mindful of their personal space. “I’ll be back before you know it!”</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>“Where on <em> Etheria </em>were you two!?” The prince of Brightmoon entered a flurry of questions as Willow and Finn entered the clearing with the sun hot on their heels. “It's been two hours!!”</p>
<p>“Relax, we needed to take care of a few things,” Finn said, helping the princess onto the skiff.</p>
<p>“Actually, Fern and Jasper found me and we almost got found out but we didn’t and then I went to a meditation circle with my family,” Willow added, thoughtfully.</p>
<p>Unlike Willow, Angello did not take this piece of information lightly. “YOU WHAT?!”</p>
<p>“Oh my gosh, chill out. We’re fine. No one knows we’re still doing this. Let’s just get going. We’re already behind schedule,” Finn pointed out.</p>
<p>“Our cover could’ve been blown before we even started!”</p>
<p>“But it didn’t.”</p>
<p>“One of these days, everything is going to catch up to us,” Angello shook his head sadly. “But whatever you say."</p>
<p>“Wait, where are we going? We can't take the skiff all the way to the island, right?” Willow asked as Angello began driving the skiff forward.</p>
<p>“Seaworthy,” Finn answered. “When our parents were young, that’s where they found Uncle Seahawk to take them to Salineas. Figured that if they could find a captain to take them somewhere, we can too.”</p>
<p>“And if we can’t?” </p>
<p>“Eh, we’ll figure it out on the way. It’ll be a couple days to get there, anyway. For now, we can just sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride,” the feline stretched, curling up in a ball.</p>
<p>“Says you!” Angello snorted, giving the cat child a light kick. “If I’m not allowed to fall asleep, you can’t either.”</p>
<p>“But you’re driving!” Finn complained, rolling over on their back to swat at Angello’s legs. “We’re not in charge of steering a giant metal ship, so why do we have to stay up?”</p>
<p>“Because <em> you </em>put me here,” the prince retorted.</p>
<p>“Lies.”</p>
<p>“Excuse me?!”</p>
<p>“You guys!” Willow interrupted, putting herself between the two friends. “There’s no need to fight. Why don’t we switch off every couple of hours so no one has to spend the entire day at the helm?”</p>
<p>The prince shrugged. “Sounds good to me. It only seems fair.”</p>
<p>Finn groaned but didn’t object. “Fine.”</p>
<p>“Wonderful!” the princess cheered, clapping her hands. “This journey will be a joyous one!”</p>
<p>With that, the three friends began making their way to Seaworthy. Angello estimated it to be a three to four day travel depending on how many breaks they took. He’d brought a map, although he admittedly wasn’t too proficient in judging their location. All that mattered was that they were going the right direction. Tracking the sun wasn’t too hard to do. Besides, the more uncomfortable Finn came, the closer they were to the water. Finn detested anything to do with water.</p>
<p>That being said, when Finn became weirdly wary and distrerssed on the second day, even Angello suspected that it wasn’t just the thought of the ocean. They’d been pacing the skiff for hours, glancing into the sky every so often despite nothing being there. When they made their first morning bathroom and snack break, they refused to leave the transport, opting to remain on alert instead.</p>
<p>Willow was convinced that they were going through some internal crisis and needed personal space, but Angello was reading too much into the feline to believe that. They weren’t struggling, they were suspicious. And, knowing from experience, their instincts usually proved to be insightful. Against Willow’s plea to leave them alone, Angello joined them on the skiff.</p>
<p>“Alright, I’ll bite. What’s wrong?”</p>
<p>Finn didn’t even turn to face him. “Something’s wrong. I don’t know what it is- I can’t explain it. There’s just a feeling of… uneasiness I can't shake.”</p>
<p>“Uneasiness? Maybe it’s the skiff. When it’s off balance it can be a little irking. You have better senses than I do, so it could be off putting.”</p>
<p>“I don’t know,” Finn stood up, tapping the metal with their foot. “I don’t feel anything unstable.”</p>
<p>“If I checked it, would you feel any better?” the prince offered.</p>
<p>Finn shrugged. “Can’t hurt, I guess.”</p>
<p>“Got it. If you feel anything different, just let us know.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, yeah. You can tell Willow I'm not about to die anytime soon so she doesn’t need to look so anxious.”</p>
<p>“There’s no crime in looking after your friends,” Angello lightly punched Finn in the shoulder. “I know you secretly enjoy it.”</p>
<p>“Shush. Go fix the damn machine.”</p>
<p>“Love you too,” Angello cooed, slipping off the skiff. He gave Willow a quick thumbs up and crawled underneath the transport to inspect it. As he did so, it occurred to Angello that he’d never actually tinkered with a skiff before and had no idea what he was doing. Unless it was some large mechanical error with a simple fix, he probably couldn’t offer any real help. So much for bringing Finn solace. Then again, when he popped open one of the panels, he was surprised to see a peculiar blinking red light among the cables.</p>
<p>
  <em> That doesn’t look good.  </em>
</p>
<p>“Sooo I think I might’ve found something.”</p>
<p>Finn jumped down from the skiff and slithered over beside the prince. “What, that light?”</p>
<p>“Yeah. Doesn’t that usually mean there's something bad going on?”</p>
<p>“I don’t think it’s bad,” Willow suggested, joining the two. “Angello’s Telephone has been blinking like that since we started and nothing has happened.”</p>
<p>The feline’s eyes widened. “Wait, what?”</p>
<p>Angello lifted his arm displaying his Telephone which, as the princess stated, was blinking with the same light. </p>
<p>“For First One’s sake, why didn’t you say anything?!” they squeaked, scrambling to get on top of the skiff again. “We need to leave NOW.”</p>
<p>Willow and Angello shared a baffled look. “Why?”</p>
<p>“Because our parents are tracking us!”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Sorry, Mom</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“W-What are we going to do?!” Willow cried.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not get caught,” Finn said bluntly, shoving everything into their bag. “Get your things, we’re abandoning the skiff. Angello, leave your Telephone.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The prince scowled. “How did they even track us? I left my location off!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“HI, KIDS!” a piercing voice cut through the air. The trio immediately froze. As if answering their unspoken thoughts, the familiar purple hair of Etheria’s most inventive princess popped above Angello’s Telephone. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not again,” Finn groaned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angello gaped. “Aunt Entrapta? What are you-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’M GLAD YOU ASKED,” she screeched, pushing her face up closer. “I disabled your basic privacy functions remotely to reveal your location due to an overwhelming amount of insisting from your parents! They are currently traveling to your position as we speak!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’ve got to be kidding me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Incorrect! I’ve been told that I have the inability to joke.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shut that thing off!” Finn sputtered. “We don’t have time for this.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry, Aunt Entrapta!” Angello whimpered, frantically smashing the power button. Despite pressing it multiple times, Entrapta’s hologram didn’t waiver. All three friends stared at each other nervously. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Interesting! My connection hasn’t been severed yet,” Entrapta remarked. “Say, would you mind rebooting your Telephone to see if my network bipasses your other functions, too?”</span>
</p>
<p> <span>“We’re not really in a good place for experiments right now,” Finn huffed, grabbing the Telephone. </span></p>
<p>
  <span>“That would make sense considering your parents are approximately two and a half mi-” They didn’t get to hear the rest of the sentence as Finn flung the Telephone into the trees. Willow audibly gasped. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“D-Don’t we need that?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not anymore,” they hopped onto the skiff, pushing everyone’s belongings overboard. “Here, take your stuff. Go with Angello and run. I’ll catch up with you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angello peered at the feline curiously. “Wait, what are you doing?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Change of plans. They’re tracking us, right? I’m going to give them something to follow,” Finn patted the skiff. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You can’t possibly go by yourself. What if they catch you?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They won’t.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How will you find us if we go, huh? This is the first rule of adventuring. Never split up,” Angello put a gentle hand on Finn’s foot. “We’re in this together, remember?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s just temporary. I’ll loop around a couple of times to give a good chase and then turn on autopilot back to Brightmoon.” Finn squatted down. “They’ll follow it back home while we get away.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We? You just said you were going by yourself.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know what I meant,” Finn waved off his concern. “We’ll figure out specifics later.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Finn..”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Um, not to raise any concern,” Willow timidly interjected. “But I’m pretty sure that I can see Swiftwind.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What!?!” Finn and Angello said, simultaneously. They both turned to where the princess was pointing, shocked to see She-ra’s flying stallion gliding through the air toward their position. There was no doubt that Catra and Adora were the two riding on his back. Finn tried pulling back to start the skiff, but Angello’s grip on their foot was unwavering. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Come on, let go!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not until you promise me you’ll come back. No fooling around this time.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The feline hesitated, unable to break away from the prince’s heartfelt gaze which stopped them in their tracks. They always felt weird when Angello brought out his puppy eyes. A strange sensation would dance in his chest, practically compelling them to stop and listen to what he had to say. Finn </span>
  <em>
    <span>knew </span>
  </em>
  <span>it was a trick, and yet, they were always a sucker for it. It wasn’t exactly the most </span>
  <em>
    <span>horrible </span>
  </em>
  <span>feeling. More often than not, he or Willow used this superpower to be their voice of reason. Still, it was a weakness they hated to bear.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn groaned and stared up at the sky. “Okay, fine. I won’t do anything unnecessary. Keep going toward Seaworthy and have Willow make the biggest tree bloom when you’re safe. I’ll double back and find you when I’m done.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angello smiled. “Thank you. Aunt Catra would have my head if I didn’t bring you home in one piece.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, yeah,” Finn finally tugged their foot loose. “Now, get going. Oh, and hand me that log, would you? I have an idea…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“This is all my fault.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Adora, for the last time, this isn’t because of you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was taking Catra a surprising amount of willpower not to scream. This was the sixth time Adora mentioned being at fault in the past hour. And she wasn’t even going to get into the freakout that happened in the castle when they discovered Finn’s absence. It was understandable to feel guilty, Catra was in the same boat with her, but the constant vocal reminder was getting old. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It is my fault!” Adora repeated, again. “I was too harsh on them. If I didn’t yell at Finn so flippantly on Liberation Day, they would have never run away like this.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You just did what you thought was right. Besides, it was a long day and you were tired. It wasn’t exactly the best time to receive shocking news.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Still, I shouldn’t have lashed out. They didn’t deserve that, especially from their mother.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra squeezed the blonde from behind, propping her chin on her shoulder as she did so. There was a reason she always sat behind Adora when they went on horseback. “Finn’s a bright kid. They know you didn’t really mean it. You were just concerned with their safety.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Etheria’s champion sighed and leaned her head against Catra’s. “I suppose. Doesn’t make me feel any better, though.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Honestly, I’m more surprised it took this long for them to run off in the first place. It’s not like they ever shied away from an adventure,” Catra chuckled, trying to lighten up their conversation. “Don’t you remember all the times we sneaked off after curfew?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora felt a smile crawl up their lips. “We’d sneak into the mess hall and steal extra ration bars when they hadn’t unload the shipment yet.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, yeah! And when we unlocked the door to the Force Captain chambers-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“-and rearranged everyone’s stuff?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Octavia was furious!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora snorted, which sent Catra into a laughing fit, and soon the both of them were giggling like little kids again. For a moment, both allowed themselves to breathe, enjoying the brief weight lifted from their shoulders as they enjoyed the view from above. While Catra wasn’t a big fan of heights (or travel by Swiftwind for that matter), she couldn’t deny the peace and tranquility that came with soaring through the skies. That is, when Swiftwind wasn’t singing or threatening loop-de-loops, which he thankfully seemed to have stopped for the moment. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora pressed a gentle kiss on Catra’s temple. “Thank you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just doing my job. Otherwise your head will explode with all that worrying,” Catra jabbed a finger in Adora’s side. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ahem! Etheria to passengers!” Swiftwind butted in before the pair could get any more rowdy. “You have a call. Right satchel, second pocket to the left. It’s been ringing for ages!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The blonde snapped out of her playful demeanor almost immediately, snatching up the communication pad that was vibrating. “It’s Entrapta!” she said, excitedly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sure enough, the mechanical princess popped onto screen as soon as they accepted the call. “HELLO! I’M GLAD YOU PICKED UP!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra winced. She forgot how loud the purple haired woman could be. “Good to see you, too. Have you found them yet?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Even better! I hacked into skiff 205’s tracking system and pinpointed their exact location after confirming the coordinates on Angello’s Telephone!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank the stars!” Adora breathed a sigh of relief. “Where are they? Can you send us the coordinates?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Entrapta pursed her lips and glanced to somewhere off screen. “Well, I could tell send you their exact location, but if my calculations are correct, they should be-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Adora, there!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The embodiment of She-ra whirled around, first glancing at her wife, then where she was pointing. The sight before her sent her into a new level of emotion she didn’t think was possible at her age. Adora had been on Etheria long enough to be ready for many things, and yet, upon seeing her own beloved child bursting from the trees yelling a war cry for no reason other than to be rambunctious, she quickly realized that Finn was the one being she would never be able to understand. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn was </span>
  <em>
    <span>flying </span>
  </em>
  <span>through the forest, weaving between trees and bushes with vigor that would rival their own mother’s enthusiasm. To say they looked like Catra was an understatement. If the recklessness didn’t do it, the smug expression spread across their face certainly did. And, to top it all off, they had the gall to </span>
  <em>
    <span>wave </span>
  </em>
  <span>as they passed, almost as if they knew their parents would be too stunned to move. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Oh, no, they didn’t.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Swifty, after them!” Adora urged Swiftwind.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“On it!” the horse neighed. “Buckle up, ladies. This ride is about to get bumpy!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Swiftwind tucked in his wings and dove toward the ground, trailing after the skiff like a hawk. While he couldn’t normally match Entrapta’s machines with speed, having the tactical advantage of flying without obstacles evened the playing field. Whereas Finn had to navigate the rough terrain below, Swiftwind was skimming the tops of the trees, hot on the feline’s trail.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn realized the race almost immediately, and soon their driving became even more erratic as they tried shaking Swiftwind from their tail. Catra sucked in a breath at every turn, her stomach churning at the mere thought of them losing control of the skiff.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, kiddo! Careful with the driving,” she shouted below. “We’re not trying to kill you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Finn, honey, we just want to talk,” Adora shouted after, desperate to deescalate the situation. Unfortunately for her, words didn’t seem to be working for Finn.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Baby, you of all people should know that they’re not going to respond to that,” Catra chuckled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, what else are we supposed to do? It’s not like we can just go down there and capture them.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I mean-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Catra!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay, maybe not </span>
  <em>
    <span>capture, </span>
  </em>
  <span>but think about it! Finny isn’t going to come off with words, so if we can somehow corner them, they’ll have to talk.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Catra..” Adora bit her lip, glancing down at Finn again. Her wife wasn’t totally wrong. Realistically speaking, it was a solid plan. If this was a war criminal, Adora would agree wholeheartedly and follow through with it. The problem was that this </span>
  <em>
    <span>wasn’t </span>
  </em>
  <span>a war criminal. This was her own child, for First One’s sake. Finn was a misunderstood teenager probably going through some crisis or life realization she couldn’t comprehend. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Stars, what if this is a cry for help?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You don’t think this’ll upset them more, right?” Adora asked, tentatively. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra arched one of her brows. “Considering Finn is currently steering without using their hands, I’d say probably not.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They’re.. What??”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s not important,” Catra waved off the comment before gesturing to a large oak up ahead. “What </span>
  <em>
    <span>is </span>
  </em>
  <span>important is that tree. If you topple on the right before Finn can get to it, they’ll have to bank off to the left and go in a clearing.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you sure?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Positive.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora grabbed Catra’s hand and squeezed it. “Good, because if it doesn’t work, I’m blaming you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before the feline could protest, Adora turned away from her wife and stared at the tree in question. It was big, though not large enough to prove a real challenge. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I don’t need She-ra for this. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Instead, she reached out her hand, summoning She-ra’s sword individually. Adora grabbed the blade from where it was suspended in mid air and lowered the tip to aim at the tree. This shot needed to be perfect. Too powerful and the tree will explode. Too weak and it won’t fall down. Clip the side and it doesn’t fall in place.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>No pressure. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The blonde closed her eyes, sucking in a slow breath as she focused on condensing power onto the end of the sword. The blade crackled and shook as small, blue electrical waves pulsed from the metal, ready for a release. It only took a matter of seconds before it was ready. Opening her eyes, Adora briefly entered her She-ra state for a good measure and gave a war cry of her own (It was the heat of the moment, okay?) as she released her shot. A glowing, white beam of energy erupted from her sword and thundered toward the tree like lightning. A small explosion shook the ground as it connected with its target, shaking the nearby plants and bushes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Much to her relief, the oak toppled over not long after, successfully blocking off Finn’s path. “You did it, Adora!” Catra cheered, planting a fat kiss on her cheek.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s not over yet,” the blonde warned, remaining neutral. She was all too familiar with celebrating too early to start now.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The pair watched as Finn came up toward the blockage rather fast, barely managing to turn in time to avoid a crash. They squeaked by the first obstruction alright, but their success was short lived. A low hanging branch clipped the back of the skiff and pushed it to the side, sending the machine into a spiral. Despite their best efforts to stay on, Catra and Adora watched in horror as Finn screamed and fell off the edge, disappearing into the foliage while the skiff crashed nearby. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, Mara help us. Swiftwind, get us down there!” Adora yelled, hysterically. She practically threw herself off his back when he landed, running as fast as her legs could carry her. Catra wasn’t far behind, telling Swiftwind to search from the skies as she opted to swing through the overhead branches in a more aerial approach herself. Together, they scoured where the skiff crashed, leaving no rock unturned in their search. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After ten painstakingly long minutes of fruitless scanning, Swiftwind circled overhead with good news. “By the red berry bushes! There’s a cloak!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Finn? Finn!” Catra and Adora </span>
  <em>
    <span>sprinted </span>
  </em>
  <span>into the bushes, ripping the poor plant apart as they caught sight of Finn’s signature tawny cloak. Hands bloody and chests heaving, the two women finally broke through the obstruction and nearly froze at the sight they uncovered. It was a decently sized log, not Finn, who was wrapped in the cloak. Carved on the front, a large smiley face(which was no doubtedly Finn’s handiwork) with different sized eyes stared up at them with an emotionless gaze.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They’re.. not here?” the blonde whispered, still shaken from the whole ordeal.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It seems,” Catra took a deep breath and looked into her wife’s teary eyes. “That we’ve been duped.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> “How much farther do you think we should go?” the princess asked, twirling a strand of hair between her fingers. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angello shrugged, stretching his arms above his head. “I’m not sure. Whenever we’re away from danger, I guess.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, I can’t hear any more commotion, so maybe we’re far enough?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After Finn took off with the skiff, Angello and Willow continued toward Seaworthy as planned. They ran for some of it, but when it was obvious that Finn was leading their moms in the complete opposite direction, they realized that time wasn’t as of the essence like the feline had insisted. Currently, the two were keeping a nice pace at a brisk walk. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t see why we can’t stop here. As long as we set up the signal, we should be fine.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s the signal, again?” Willow asked after a pause, a little embarrassed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The blossomed tree, remember?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Right! Um, which one should I choose?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angello slowly came to a stop and glanced overhead. “Hm. I mean, it’s your magic. Are there any trees in need for some Willow lovin?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Willow loving?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Y’know..” Angello wiggled his fingers.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The princess giggled. “Riiiight. How about that one over there?” She pointed to a greyish tree not too far behind the prince. All the leaves on the already droopy branches were brown and yellow, easily snapping off in the wind. Not exactly the pinnacle of health.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure. Can I do anything to help?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Some water would be useful. My magic will ultimately be useless if plants don’t get their basic needs.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You got it,” Angello shot Willow a couple finger guns before floating above the treeline in search of a river or stream.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In the meantime, Willow placed herself in front of the sickly tree and put both hands on the bark. If it was truly dead, not even she could revive it. The Heart Blossom extends its energy by allowing plant life to flourish to their greatest potential, making already deceased flora untouchable. Luckily for the princess, there was still a flickering spirit deep within the tree. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, you poor thing,” she murmured quietly to herself. “You’re hurting.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Willow hummed softly as she pulsed soft waves of energy into her new friend, reaching with her magical tendrils to find the most neglected areas. Any cracked or limp pieces of wood gradually began to mend, fusing with its counterpart and standing erect. Dead leaves fluttered to the ground as tiny, green leaf buds popped out in replacement. Loose bark was shed as well, making way for the darker, thicker skin underneath. Soon, tiny purple flowers sprouted along the sides like wildfire, blooming brightly in the sun.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When she could no longer feel the tree in pain, Willow retracted her magical influences. While she </span>
  <em>
    <span>could </span>
  </em>
  <span>cure any plants she came into contact with of all their ailments, it took a lot more energy. Not to mention she would rather leave room for growth and individuality. They can’t speak, but all flora have their own little goals and personalities which sometimes conflict with her good intentions. Cacti and Perfuma taught her that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Whoa. It’s a whole new tree,” Angello whistled while coming into view with a full jug. “You’re really good at that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Willow smiled sheepishly. “It’s just my power.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Still,” he went on as he poured water on the base of the tree. “That was pretty fast if you ask me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you. It comes with practice,” Willow giggled as she waved a hand and sprouted a few flowers in Angello’s hair.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Speaking of practice, should we do something while we wait?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We could meditate? This is a nice, quiet place to center yourself.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That sounds lovely.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Talking It Out</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>My brain: (Slamming the table) “What this story needs is more ADVENTURE!!”<br/>My writer's block: (Taping a cigarette over an ashtray) “Best I can do is fluff. Take it or leave it.”</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Don’t even think about it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?? I wasn’t doing anything!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The prince of Brightmoon laughed and turned around. “I can hear you creeping up on me. You forgot to sheath your claws, Sneaks-A-Lot.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn, rising from all fours, scowled and tucked their hands under their armpits. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Curses. I was so close.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After the (admittedly) </span>
  <em>
    <span>disaster </span>
  </em>
  <span>of a distraction mission, seeing a perfect opportunity for some fun was right up Finn’s alley. Angello and Willow were practically sleeping, anyway. Double Trouble would be disappointed if Finn skipped out. Besides, sneaking was practically written in their blood! Unfortunately for the feline, today was turning out to be weirdly unlucky- not that Finn wanted to accept it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, yeah. At least I wasn’t sleeping in the middle of the woods,” Finn stuck their tongue out. “I’m almost offended.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angello rolled his eyes and got to his feet. “It’s meditation, Finn, not an afternoon nap.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn shrugged. “Same thing.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Stars, if I had a coin for every time you disregarded meditation, I’d be rich.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re the crown prince. You own a </span>
  <em>
    <span>kingdom</span>
  </em>
  <span>. You’re already rich.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re impossible.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You love me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Personally, I think you’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>both </span>
  </em>
  <span>impossible,” Plumeria’s princess commented, playfully eyeing the pair from the ground. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Haha, you hear that?” Angello cooed. “She thinks you’re impossible, too- HEY!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> This time Finn burst out in laughter, which triggered Willow’s giggling, and despite Angello being </span>
  <em>
    <span>slightly </span>
  </em>
  <span>offended with the princess’s comment, he, too, couldn’t help giving into the infectious laugh. All three carefully huddled together, exchanging fond greetings as if they had been separated for weeks, not hours. Surprisingly undeterred by the display of affection, Finn found themself purring at the warm welcome.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m glad you found us,” the prince whispered, pressing his forehead against Finn’s.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn smiled and returned the gesture. “How could I miss you?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Who knows, you could’ve run off without me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Never.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So..” Willow coughed after a moment, patiently waiting for her two friends to detangle themselves from each other before proceeding. “How did it all go?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Angello added, stretching his arm behind his back. “And where’s all your stuff? Didn’t you take it with you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At that, the feline’s bemused demeanor quickly dropped into one of embarrassment, not joy, as they awkwardly rubbed the back of their neck. “Ah, well, about that.”  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angello and Willow shared a curious look. “What happened?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay, don’t get mad.. but I may or may not have gone a little too far trying to get my moms off our tail.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Finn, you promised!” the prince whined as the feline’s ears drooped sadly. “You said you wouldn’t take any unnecessary measures.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I didn’t! Angello, I swear to First One’s I </span>
  <em>
    <span>tried. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Double Trouble was right, my moms are not a force I should’ve toyed with. I think I made everything worse.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A-Are they still after us?” Willow asked tentatively, aware of the Finn’s current fragile state.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thankfully, no,” Finn breathed. Angello and Willow took a sigh of relief with them. “After what I did, though.. I might as well have dug my own grave in front of them.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The trio fell into a brief moment of solemn silence, letting the reality of two angry Etherian war heroes sink in. It was already common knowledge that their journey was not one that had their parents blessing. Each and every one of them knew that going in. However, just as Finn had pointed out, the more they tampered with their already questionable fate, the worse the trip home would be. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If there would even be one.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And what exactly did you do? T-To your parents, I mean,” the princess stammered before Finn could get lost in their dark thoughts.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well that’s a complicated question,” they dryly chuckled despite themself. “Stars, where to start.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The story took a lot longer than Finn had anticipated. So long in fact, that they had decided to build a fire and camp out for the night since it was obvious they weren’t going to be traveling in the fleeting daylight any time soon. It was probably because Finn was so nervous they were rambling, but that was beside the point. They went over everything they could; detailing how the skiff’s navigational system was either damaged or not working, the pleads from their moms, their erratic driving, and finally.. the crash. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I didn’t expect them to block my path,” Finn explained over the crackling of the fire Angello had graciously erected. “I had a straight shot through some trees where I knew I could hop off and let the skiff go on for a bit before they would notice. One minute it was a few meters ahead of me, and the next it was blocked by a fallen tree my mom blasted.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn looked at their hands, getting transfixed by the flashing shadows that danced upon their palms. They didn’t really feel like braving a glance across the fire where Angello and Willow sat. “I thought I could make the turn but I was going too fast. Swerved, hit a branch, lost control, and fell off.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you okay?” the prince asked, sitting up straighter.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A bit bruised if that’s what you’re asking. No blood, though. And yes, I checked,” the feline said and quickly added before Angello could even get to it. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I know him too well for my own good. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You sure?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, for love of-” Finn grumbled, lifting up half of their shirt to expose the left side of their body. “See? Nothing.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn knew that he probably couldn’t make out any injuries without parting their fur, but the point was to show that there were no active bleeding wounds, and like they had mentioned, they had none. A nasty purplish bruise over their ribs that hurt when they inhaled, sure, though Angello didn’t need to know that. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sure enough, the prince said nothing after the reveal. Whether it was because he immediately turned away with a redding blush spreading across his face was a different question.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I-Is that all? Doesn’t seem </span>
  <em>
    <span>too </span>
  </em>
  <span>harsh,” Willow commented under her mountain of blankets she had somehow accumulated.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Kind of? Well, not really. I, uh, got off safe and sound but my decoy didn’t. It fell into a thorn bush, which seems like no big of a deal..” Finn trailed off, pausing as memories flashed before their eyes. Fighting this demon was proving to be harder than expected.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> “My moms were so </span>
  <em>
    <span>scared. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Scared for </span>
  <em>
    <span>me.</span>
  </em>
  <span> I-I’ve never seen them so frantic, so </span>
  <em>
    <span>distressed. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Ripping through the thorns despite being punctured by needles like their life depended on it.. And all I could do was watch.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn was near trembling, gripping onto their forearms so tight it hurt. They had made it this far without tears, and they were determined to keep it that way. “I caused that. Not you, not Angello, but me. All of my stupid ideas always get people hurt. What if we made a mistake doing this?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nonsense,” Willow remarked, not a shred of hesitation in her voice. Surprised, Finn looked up just as the princess shuffled over to them, draping a blanket over their shoulders. “There is no mistake in trying to do good, Finn.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What she said,” Angello nodded, scooting into Finn’s other side. “For the greater good, remember? You said it yourself the night we agreed to do this. No matter what happens, we know that in the end, we’re just trying to do what’s right.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No one said this would be easy.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, because if it was, everyone would do it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Willow put a gentle hand on Finn’s arm, rubbing the small tufts of fur that lingered there. “Obstacles are simply part of the journey,” she said, curling her fingers around their wrist. “Overcoming them is what makes you stronger.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As Finn’s muscles relaxed, the princess carefully extracted their claws from where they lay embedded from their skin, guiding them to hang at their sides instead. The feline took a deep breath, absentmindedly tracing small circles in the dirt as their head lolled back to gaze at the sky. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>If they’re okay, I should be too.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sometimes you guys are disgustingly supportive,” the child of She-ra shook their head, bringing their thoughts back from the sky to Etheria. “It’s almost as if you like me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Almost,” the prince teased, flicking Finn’s ear. “You’re still a pain in the butt.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And you aren’t?” Finn clapped back, the familiar banter offering a strange, comforting solace.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You two are still impossible,” Willow shook her head, playfully whacking their knees. “Can’t have a single serious conversation between us, can we?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well Finn here was never one for serious topics, anyway,” Angello proclaimed, nudging their shoulder. “I’m sure if we got any sappier they’d run away.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Though not denying it, Finn rolled their eyes, making no attempt to hide their growing smile “I can’t tell if that’s an insult or compliment.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A little of both.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ookay. Well if you two want to continue.. whatever’s going on there,” the princess said, gesturing to the pair as she hid a yawn behind her other hand. “Go right ahead. I’m going to rest.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The prince and feline nodded, offering quiet farewells as Willow shuffled over to her bedroll, submerging herself into the mountain of blankets. Finn couldn’t help but giggle at the sight.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Jeez, how many did she bring?” they whispered, pulling the single sheet Willow had offered over their head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Jealous?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of the bedroll, maybe.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, right,” Angello breathed, picking up a stick nearby to agitate the fire. “You lost everything, didn’t you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Most of it, anyway,” Finn sighed, rummaging through their pocket before pulling out the data crystal. “Thankfully I had half the mind to keep this on my person before we left. Would be a shame if we came all this way to lose it now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Definitely,” the prince agreed, breaking into a yawn of his own.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Going to head in, too?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Probably. And so should you. You’ve had quite the day.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s an understatement.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then you’ll probably need this,” Angello grunted, reaching over to grab his bedroll.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You can’t give me that,” the feline protested as Angello flung the roll in Finn’s lap. “What are you going to sleep in?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He shrugged. “I got a few blankets of my own.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, no. Absolutely not! Survival 101: Never sleep on the ground. It gets colder than the air and can freeze you in your sleep. Not to mention how bad it can be for your back.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I thought I was banned from sharing beds after the whole ‘feet’ incident,” the prince teased, a coy grin spreading across his face as Finn slid into the bedroll.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keep your icy toes to yourself and we won’t have a problem,” Finn rolled their eyes as they tapped their tail to the empty space next to them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No promises.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The cat child snorted as Angello slipped into the bedroll next to them. The pair used to share sleeping accommodations quite frequently when they were younger. They’d stay up into the late hours of the night, fighting fatigue like the Horde until their inevitable crash. Many times they even fell asleep where they stood, waking up with toy weapons and papers still in hand. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Years had passed since those times, but old habits die hard. Especially with something like this. It was second nature how they settled in together, instantly rolling on their respective sides as they pushed their backs together. Muscle memory taking over, Angello didn’t even realize he had hitched one leg up to make room for Finn’s tail until the feline laid it across his ankles.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You good?” Finn asked, their words with a light slur. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Never better.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...Angello?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks. For everything.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angello chuckled and slid his feet over to cover Finn’s. “Of course.”</span>
</p>
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